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Bedsores may be an early indicator of nursing home neglect

On Behalf of | Jul 14, 2020 | Firm News |

Because you lack the means necessary to care for your elderly parent, you have entrusted his or her care to the staff at a nursing home. While most nursing homes provide exemplary care, many residents experience neglect.

Whether it is dehydration, hygiene issues or something else, nursing home neglect is a problem in some New Jersey nursing homes. Therefore, you should closely monitor your aging mother or father for signs of neglect or nursing home abuse. Often, bedsores are an early indicator that something may be terribly wrong.

What are bedsores?

Also called pressure ulcers, bedsores are damaged skin wounds that appear after an individual remains in the same position for too long. While bedsores may appear anywhere on the body, they are exceedingly common in pressure points, such as the following:

  • The back of the head
  • The bottom of the feet
  • The elbows, wrists, knees and other joints
  • The hips, pelvis and back

Doctors are often able to treat bedsores. If they do not act quickly, though, the wound may develop an infection. In severe cases, sepsis or septic shock may occur. These conditions, unfortunately, may be deadly.

Who is at risk of developing bedsores?

Because bedsores form from lack of movement, nursing home residents who have mobility issues are often at increased risk. If your elderly parent has diabetes, cancer, hypertension or circulation problems, he or she may also be vulnerable to bedsores.

Why are bedsores a sign of neglect?

Bedsores are not always proof of nursing home neglect. That is, even if staff at the nursing home provides adequate care, your loved one may still develop bedsores.

Nonetheless, because bedsores tend to form after prolonged periods of inactivity, they may indicate your mother or father is not receive the care he or she deserves. Furthermore, if nursing home professionals do not take steps to treat existing bedsores, your aging parent’s condition may deteriorate rapidly.

Either way, because bedsores may indicate neglect, you must closely monitor your loved one’s overall health. If nursing home professionals are unable or unwilling to provide competent care, you may need to take additional steps to protect your parent’s health.