When a Loved One Dies in a Nursing Home: Searching for the Truth
When a loved one dies while receiving care in a nursing home, the family is entitled to know whether the death could have been avoided by good nursing care.
According to an article in the New York Times, after a death occurs at a nursing facility, it is not uncommon for the family to mistrust what they have been told by the facility as to the cause of the death.
In my experience, this is particularly true of deaths occurring at nursing homes where the history of care has been questionable.
It may not be helpful to rely on the nursing home treating physician for answers, as many of the treating physicians in nursing homes are also the facility’s medical director.
Even a death certificate stating the cause of death may be suspect as the physician signing the certificate may have only limited information as to the circumstances surrounding the death.
What is a family to do?
The answer may be an autopsy, either performed by the county medical examiner or by a private pathologist.
The county medical examiner will usually only perform an autopsy if the circumstances surrounding the death calls into question whether the death was by natural means.
To have a private autopsy performed in Arizona can cost between $3,500 - $4,500. However, it may be the only way to determine the cause of death and give the family closure they deserve.
