Family of Nursing Home Resident Alleges Facility Tried to Hide Bed Sore Infection with Coffee Grounds

 Posted on January 28, 2020 in Bed Sores

Tragically, news stories involving nursing home abuse and neglect are not uncommon. It seems as if every week, there is another article describing the way nursing home staff mistreat the vulnerable residents in their care. According to one survey, a shocking 44 percent of nursing home residents reported that they had been abused at their facilities and 95 percent said that they had experienced neglect or seen other residents neglected. Even more disturbing, in another survey conducted of nursing home workers, more than 50 percent of nursing home staff admitted to neglecting or abusing residents within the prior year.

Staff members who neglect, mistreat, or abuse residents should be held accountable for their actions. If your loved one has suffered at the hands of nursing home staff, one way to hold the negligent party accountable is through a personal injury lawsuit.

Bedsores Must Be Treated Immediately

Decubitus ulcers, or bedsores, are painful wounds caused by unrelenting pressure on the skin. The first sign of a bedsore is often a red or purple discoloration on an area of the body which is exposed to long periods of pressure. If nursing home staff see evidence that a bedsore is developing, they should take immediate action to relieve pressure and watch for signs the wound is worsening. Bedsores that are not treated lead to open wounds which can quickly become extreme painful and dangerously infected. If the infection is not treated soon enough, it can spread to the blood or vital organs and cause death.

Family Says They Plan to Sue for Malpractice

A Florida woman is bringing a nursing home neglect lawsuit against one nursing home facility after she says the facility failed to treat her father’s severe bedsores. The woman first realized something was terribly wrong when her brother-in-law discovered piles of coffee grounds under her father’s bed. She then realized that her father had two bedsores, one of which was badly infected. She believes that the nursing home put the coffee grounds under his bed to neutralize the smell coming from the infections.

Nursing home staff should understand the way bedsores develop and take steps to prevent bedsores. Residents should be frequently repositioned so that pressure on the skin can be relieved. When a nursing home resident frequently develops bedsores, this can be a sign that staff are neglecting the resident.  

Contact an Illinois Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer

If your loved one has been a victim of nursing home neglect or abuse, you may have a valid personal injury claim. Call 312-535-4625 for a free consultation with a Chicago nursing home injury attorney at Schwartz Injury Law to discuss your case.

Sources:

https://ncea.acl.gov/NCEA/media/docs/Abuse-of-Residents-of-Long-Term-Care-Facilities-(2012)_1.pdf

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/health/woman-to-sue-orange-park-nursing-home-says-staff-put-coffee-grounds-under-dads-bed-to-hide-smell-from-wound/77-3a499cfd-a294-4bf2-99fe-bcdd8ef4d47c