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92-YEAR-OLD NURSE DIES FOLLOWING ANT BITES IN NURSING HOME


Betty Perloe, a 92-year-old former nurse, passed while in the care of the upscale Somerby Senior Living facility in Sandy Springs. According to a lawsuit filed by her family, Mrs. Perloe passed after sustaining several ant bites resulting from an infestation in her room. Ross Perloe, the victim’s son, argues that an ant infestation, known about by the nursing home, was not dealt with properly, allowing Mrs. Perloe to sustain multiple painful and irritating ant bites over the course of several days.

Dr. Mark Perloe, another of the victim’s sons, suggests that Mrs. Perloe was in stable condition prior to the infestation, though she was dealing with some serious health concerns. Dr. Perloe believes that infection and pain from the fluid-filled bites on her abdomen, underneath her breasts, and on other parts of her body, exacerbated her preexisting conditions and accelerated her passing.

Lance Lori of Lourie, Chance, Forlines, Carter & King is representing the family in their nursing home neglect claim against Somerby Senior Living. “It’s about the way she died, in an undignified and painful way that was unnecessary,” Lori said in a recent interview with the AJC. Commenting on the $6,300 per month the family was paying to keep Mrs. Perloe at Somerby Senior Living, Lori continued, “At places like Somerby, long-term care facilities, the quality of life and preservation of that quality of life as long as possible is what they’re really being paid to do.”

NURSING HOME NEGLECT

Nursing home neglect is a serious issue that imperils thousands of care facility residents. Indications of nursing home neglect include:

  • Malnutrition and dehydration
  • Bedsores and pressure ulcers
  • Soiled clothing or bedding
  • Generally unsanitary conditions

If you have a loved one who is living under these circumstances, it is vital that you take swift action. When neglect is allowed to continue, serious and fatal consequences are possible. Even in high-end and luxury nursing homes where incidences of mistreatment are rare.

The best way to prevent nursing home abuse and neglect is by visiting your loved one on a regular basis. Frequent visits allow you to become familiar with conditions on a daily basis. They also allow you to get to know the staff and gain a better understanding of day to day operations. The more involved you become, the lower the chances of injury or death to your loved one.

Of course, we cannot reasonably spend every moment in the presence of our loved ones, that’s often why we trust them to the care of medical professionals in the first place. When these people, as individuals or corporations, fail to provide the standard of care your loved one deserves, you may be entitled to take legal action. Our nursing home neglect attorneys are here to review your case free of charge and help you determine the best way forward.

Call Lourie, Chance, Forlines, Carter & King at 404-760-7400 for a complimentary case review at our Atlanta office. We serve Savannah, Decatur, Augusta, and all surrounding areas of Georgia.