Phoenix law firm urges families to watch for signs of neglect and use available resources to protect vulnerable loved ones

PHOENIX, AZ, UNITED STATES, March 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In recognition of National Patient Safety Awareness Week, Solomon & Relihan is urging Arizona families to remain alert to warning signs of neglect and abuse in nursing homes and assisted living settings. The firm says the annual observance is a timely reminder that patient safety is not limited to hospitals and clinics. It also depends on the daily care, supervision, and accountability provided to older adults in long-term care facilities.

Solomon & Relihan represents victims of nursing home abuse and neglect and the families affected by preventable harm. The Phoenix-based law firm has focused its practice on cases involving vulnerable adults including matters tied to dehydration, malnutrition, falls, bedsores, infections, medication errors, elopement, physical abuse, and wrongful death. The firm’s work centers on helping families investigate what happened, pursue accountability, and push for safer care.

The modern patient safety movement grew out of research showing that preventable harm in medical settings was more common than many people realized. The Harvard Medical Practice Study found that 3.7 percent of hospitalizations involved adverse events, a finding that helped shape national discussion about avoidable injury in health care. That conversation broadened in 1999 when the Institute of Medicine released To Err Is Human, a landmark report that estimated 44,000 to 98,000 Americans die each year from medical errors in hospitals.

While those studies focused heavily on hospital care, Solomon & Relihan says the same patient safety principles apply in nursing homes where residents often depend on staff for hydration, nutrition, mobility assistance, medication management, and protection from avoidable injury. For families, that means patient safety is not an abstract policy issue. It is a daily concern that may show up in sudden weight loss, recurring falls, unexplained bruising, poor hygiene, untreated infections, pressure injuries, or changes in a resident’s behavior.

“National Patient Safety Awareness Week should remind families that vigilance matters, especially when a loved one depends on others for basic care,” said Martin Solomon. “Families should ask questions, document concerns, and take warning signs seriously. When something doesn’t look right, early action can protect a resident from further harm.”

The firm says families often assume that serious neglect will be obvious, but many cases begin with smaller signs that are easy to dismiss. Missed meals, unanswered call lights, frequent urinary tract infections, medication problems, wandering incidents, or unexplained injuries can point to larger breakdowns in staffing, supervision, and care planning. By staying informed and involved, families can play a critical role in identifying problems before they become catastrophic.

To help families evaluate care and respond to concerns, Solomon & Relihan offers educational resources focused on nursing home safety. Those resources include the firm’s Nursing Home Abuse Checklist, designed to help families identify common signs of neglect and mistreatment, and its book, The Nursing Home Survival Guide: Getting Better Care in Arizona’s Nursing Homes. The firm says these tools are intended to give families practical information they can use when visiting facilities, speaking with administrators, and deciding when to seek outside help.

As National Patient Safety Awareness Week draws attention to preventable harm across the health care system, Solomon & Relihan encourages families with loved ones in long-term care to stay informed, visit regularly, and learn the warning signs of neglect. The firm says informed families are often the first line of defense when care begins to decline.

About Solomon & Relihan
Solomon & Relihan is a Phoenix, Arizona, law firm representing victims of nursing home abuse, neglect, and wrongful death. The firm advocates for vulnerable adults and their families in cases involving substandard care, preventable injuries, and systemic failures in long-term care settings. Through litigation, education, and public awareness, Solomon & Relihan works to promote accountability and safer care for Arizona families.

Debbie Timmerman
Solomon & Relihan
+1 602-387-3000
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