Among the elderly, hair loss is fairly common. It is just part of the aging process, something that almost everyone has to deal with at some point.
However, what if you move your loved one into a nursing home and then you see a sudden increase in the rate of hair loss? Maybe they never really had a problem with it before, but they dramatically lose most of their hair in the first six months in the home. Is something else going on? Could this even be a sign of neglect?
It could be. After all, one thing that happens when people do not get proper nutrition is that they experience notable hair loss. The respected Mayo Clinic says that it’s a potential symptom of a nutritional insufficiency.
Other signs that often go along with these insufficiencies include brittle hair and dry skin. The body cannot maintain its proper healthy upkeep when it does not have the nutrition to do so. Over time, this starts becoming obvious via these outward signs.
It can be corrected. If someone’s diet improves, and they start to get what they need, their hair may stop falling out and even start growing back. However, it is not an overnight process.
Even so, what you really need to think about is why your loved one had an insufficient diet in the first place. Was the staff negligent, either providing them with improper food or not giving them enough food in the first place? If so, hair loss could be the least of their worries. It’s just a red flag showing you that it’s time to look into your legal options.