My Elderly Parent Has Bedsores. Is This the Nursing Home’s Fault?

 Posted on April 14, 2022 in Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse

As our parents and loved ones grow older, moving independently and making everyday decisions about finances or healthcare can become extremely difficult. Physical illness, intellectual degeneration, and other ailments of aging can make caring for a family member at home impossible and the decision to place someone in a nursing home, while difficult, may be the best option. 

We should all be able to trust a nursing home to provide the best care for our aging parents. Unfortunately, understaffing, poor training, and efforts to cut corners all happen sometimes in nursing homes. When nursing home abuse and neglect takes place, residents can suffer - and one of the first signs that residents are getting inadequate care is the appearance of bedsores. 

What Causes Bedsores? 

Bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers, are injuries that appear when skin is damaged because of prolonged pressure on one or more areas of the body. Bedsores are particularly prone to developing on protruding areas like hips, ankles, heels, the back of the head, and the tailbone when someone has difficulty moving and spends most of their time in bed or in a chair. 

While bedsores may appear quickly and are sometimes unavoidable, they are often a result of nursing home staff who fail to help a resident move frequently enough to prevent these injuries from developing. Staff should be aware of early signs that bedsores are developing, including: 

• Swelling 
• Pus-like drainage
• Skin that feels unusually cool or warm
• Unusual change in skin appearance
• Sore or tender spots 

How Can Bedsores Be Prevented? 

Nursing home residents, especially those who have mobility issues, should always have clean, dry sheets, blankets, and clothes. If a resident needs help moving, they must be moved frequently and positioned comfortably. If a bedsore begins developing, nursing home staff should treat the area attentively and ensure it does not get worse. If bedsores do develop, thorough wound care is necessary to help the bedsores heal and prevent them from worsening or getting infected. Because nursing home residents often have compromised immune systems, serious bedsores can develop life-threatening infections like sepsis. 

Call a Rockford, IL Nursing Home Injuries Lawyer

While certain injuries are tragically unpreventable, others are indicative that something could be seriously wrong with the quality of care at your parent’s nursing home. If you have concerns that your parent or loved one has been victimized by inappropriate or abusive nursing home care, schedule a free case review with a Rockford, IL nursing home injuries attorney at Mannarino & Brasfield, A Division of Schwartz Injury Law. Call us now at 815-215-7561. 

Source: 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bed-sores/symptoms-causes/syc-20355893