Infectious Outbreaks in Nursing Homes a Threat to Residents

 Posted on November 25, 2024 in Nursing Home Abuse

Most adults who are relatively healthy rarely think twice about an infectious disease being potentially deadly to them. We may have a bout of the flu from time to time or a cold, but most of us do not spend a lot of time worrying about catching an infectious disease. Nursing homes place a significant number of elderly people with weakened immune systems in close quarters. While not ideal, this, in and of itself, is not usually the cause of infectious outbreaks in a nursing home.

The key to avoiding nursing home infectious outbreaks is relatively simple. Every staff member must wash his or her hands after every interaction with a patient. Antibacterial gel, in addition to vigilant hand washing, can often keep infectious diseases from spreading quickly through a nursing home. Making sure patients’ sheets, pillowcases, and blankets are washed and changed frequently can also help prevent infectious diseases.

Staff members who ignore hygiene and best practices or allow a resident to live in unsanitary conditions are committing a type of nursing home abuse that can cause severe illnesses. If your loved one has become extremely ill – or even died – from an infectious disease that spread because of lax hygiene practices, speaking to a Chicago, IL nursing home attorney from Schwartz Injury Law can be beneficial. The Illinois Nursing Home Care Act entitles residents to live in clean, sanitary conditions, free from abuse and neglect.    

What Makes Nursing Home Residents So Susceptible to Infection?

Changes in the bodies of the elderly make them more vulnerable to infection. These changes include:

• Breaks in the skin

• Open wounds, including bedsores

• Difficulty chewing, swallowing, and drinking leads to poor nutrition and lowered immunity

• Loss of mobility leaves many elderly people sitting in the same position every day, all day

• Changes to mental status, including dementia and Alzheimer’s

• Loss of bowel and bladder control

• Certain medications that lower immunity

•  Medical conditions like diabetes, lung disease, and cancer

• Residents are unable to keep themselves clean or even wash their own hands regularly

•  IV fluids and catheters make residents more vulnerable to infection

Viral Infections in Nursing Homes

The CDC found that there are between one and three million infections in nursing homes each year, usually due to a lack of hygiene or basic health practices. A shocking 82 percent of all inspected nursing homes were found to be deficient in infection prevention and control, including a lack of basic handwashing.

A virus is a tiny germ that lives inside host cells and needs living cells to reproduce. There are literally thousands of different viruses, with some more common than others. The common cold and flu are relatively harmless viruses, but Ebola, HIV, and COVID are also viruses. A minor viral infection in a healthy adult can be extremely severe for elderly people with weakened immune systems.

The worst aspect of a virus is that almost any virus can lead to sepsis, which is a life-threatening emergency. Sepsis occurs when the body’s response to a virus damages vital organs and can lead to death. Viral infections are spread through microscopic drops and particles breathed out by a person with the virus. Those drops and particles can land on another person’s hands or face or a person can touch a surface with the virus on it, causing the infection to spread quickly from person to person.   

Bacterial Infections in Nursing Homes

While bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics, many elderly people become resistant to antibiotics because they are given antibiotics frequently. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is one of the most dangerous types of staph infections and is resistant to most types of antibiotics. 

About one in three people have staph bacteria on their skin. It is usually harmless unless it enters the body through a wound, a medical device like a port or catheter, or an open sore. Left untreated, MRSA can spread quickly, causing blood infections, pneumonia, or sepsis. 

MRSA is often spread when residents or staff members touch unclean surfaces and fail to wash their hands. The presence of MRSA sometimes indicates neglect in a nursing home.

Urinary Tract Infections Among the Elderly

Urinary tract infections are more common among the elderly, especially those who use catheters, but the prevailing cause of nursing home UTIs is unsanitary conditions. UTIs are the most common infection in nursing home residents. Urinary tract infections are even more common when one or more of the following occurs in a nursing home facility:

• The bed sheets of residents are infrequently changed.

• Catheters are not changed as often as they should be, or unsanitary catheters are used.

• Adult diapers are not changed promptly.

• The premises of the nursing home are not cleaned regularly, leading to unhygienic conditions.

• The nursing home staff is not sufficiently trained to look for UTI systems.

• Nursing home understaffing leads to less-than-optimal conditions.

• Residents are not given adequate fluids, leading to dehydration.  

Respiratory Infections Among the Elderly

Pneumonia and lower respiratory tract infections are the leading cause of death among nursing home residents; about 33 percent of all nursing home residents will be diagnosed with pneumonia at some point. Respiratory infections and pneumonia are often misdiagnosed as the flu, a sinus infection, bronchitis, or laryngitis.  Nursing homes that do not emphasize cleanliness and good hygiene can see respiratory diseases spread quickly.

Pneumonia can be difficult to diagnose in elderly patients without an x-ray. Staff members who are not trained to recognize the signs of pneumonia may fail to seek appropriate medical treatment for a resident with pneumonia, which can lead to death.  Respiratory infections spread through droplets, which spread through human-to-human contact.  

Fungal Infections Can Be Deadly in Nursing Homes

The term fungal infection conjures up high school foot fungi spread through locker rooms for many of us. There is a much more deadly type of fungal infection that targets nursing home residents known as Candida auris.  This fungal infection resists traditional antibiotics and has grown in numbers across the United States over the past few years.

Those most at risk are nursing home residents who receive treatment or care through breathing or feeding tubes and catheters. Candida auris is known as a "super fungus" as it is difficult to identify through standard tests. This fungal infection can spread quickly when medical equipment is not properly sanitized and staff members do not wear hospital gloves when changing catheters or feeding or breathing tubes.

Because of compromised immune systems, 30 to 60 percent of elderly patients infected with Candida auris will die. Frequent handwashing and disinfection of surfaces and equipment, along with the use of masks, gloves, and eye protection for staff members, can help keep nursing home residents safe from this deadly fungal infection.

Contact a Cook County, IL Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

If someone you love becomes extremely ill or dies from a preventable infection, you should speak to a knowledgeable Madison County, IL nursing home abuse attorney. Many of the life-threatening infections that occur in nursing homes have multiple contributing factors. Lax cleanliness standards are one of the primary factors and can indicate neglect or abuse.

While money cannot change what has happened to your loved one, it can make his or her life easier in the future and hold responsible parties accountable for their abuse or neglect. When you contact Schwartz Injury Law, you will always talk to an actual lawyer, never an intake service. We care about you and your loved ones and have significant experience in securing justice for victims of nursing home abuse and neglect. Call 312-535-4625 to schedule your free consultation.