Severe Bed Sores Caused by Nursing Home Neglect May Be Fatal

 Posted on June 06,2022 in Bed Sores

As anyone who has interacted with children can attest, children are bundles of energy. They love to run around and play. It seems like they never stop moving. As people age, they become less and less mobile. Many elderly people are confined to a wheelchair or their bed. They cannot move around or even shift their weight from one body part to another without help. Because being in one position for long periods of time can be very hard on the body and lead to bedsores, caregivers must regularly reposition elderly and sick individuals with low mobility.

Nursing home staff are expected to take the steps necessary to prevent bedsores in vulnerable residents. Unfortunately, some nursing homes neglect this crucial responsibility leading to painful, dangerous, and potentially deadly bedsores.

Pressure to the Skin Can Cause Wounds that Become Infected

When skin is under pressure for long periods of time, the skin is damaged and may even begin to die. This is called a bedsore or pressure ulcer. The best way to prevent bedsores is to avoid being in the same position for more than a couple of hours at most. Cushions and padding on wheelchairs can also help prevent bedsores.

If a nursing home resident cannot reposition their body on their own, staff should help them by gently moving the resident or transferring them to a new location. For example, a resident may be moved from his or her wheelchair to his or her bed, so the resident’s legs and buttocks do not develop bedsores. If the resident is bedridden, the resident should be repositioned in the bed so that no body part is under pressure for long periods of time.

When nursing home staff fail to complete this essential responsibility, bedsores can quickly develop. If not treated properly, bedsores will develop into painful wounds and become infected. Infections are extremely dangerous to people in poor health. If the bedsore is not properly cared for and the infection mitigated, it can cause cellulitis or sepsis. In extreme cases of neglect, bedsores can be fatal.  

Contact a Chicago Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer

Bedsores are often caused by substandard care in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. If you or a loved one were the victim of nursing home neglect, contact Schwartz Injury Law to discuss your legal options. Our Cook County nursing home injury attorneys are committed to holding negligent nursing homes responsible for the harm they cause residents and their loved ones. Call 312-535-4625 today for a  free, confidential consultation.

Source:

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