Nursing homes are beneficial to many families. However, some specialized Florida senior living communities claim to provide the best care for their senior residents but expose their residents to a variety of safety violations that increase the risk of resident injuries, such as bedsores and infections. These facilities often cater to their own best interests and lack the appropriate resources to provide the standard and quality of care their nursing home residents require.
Bedsores are a serious health issue that puts bedridden seniors and those with mobility challenges at greater risk of health complications and discomfort. They are also avoidable. Here is some important information on bedsores and nursing home neglect.
What are bedsores?
Bedsores are also pressure and ulcer sores. They develop when the skin is in constant contact with a surface. Nursing home caregivers must provide assistance with mobility to bedridden seniors to maintain proper blood circulation throughout their bodies. Every two to four hours, the staff must change the position of these patients, massage their limbs and provide proper elevation or support as necessary to keep blood and pressure from accumulating and causing injury. Bedsores can also develop from improper wound care.
What health complications stem from bedsores?
Patients who develop bedsores have a greater risk of developing sepsis, a life-threating condition. Because of their compromised immune systems and decreased healing capacity, many nursing home residents experience a great deal of pain and suffering before the outward signs of pressure sores show up. In serious cases, cancer and bone infections are the outcome.
To protect your loved one from bedsores, visit him or her often. Assess the care and support staff provide and evaluate your loved one’s physical and mental conditions. Investigate all claims of abuse or neglect and follow your instincts. If you suspect there are issues with the quality of care your relative is receiving or the level of support caregivers are providing, inform the state’s Department of Elder Affairs and consider seeking legal counsel.