Elderly Lives Matter®

The Problem of Bedsores Among Nursing Home Residents

On Behalf of | Mar 18, 2021 | Bedsores, Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Many of those in Florida caring for injured loved ones find that their needs often demand more time and attention than they have to give. Not wanting to neglect their family members or friends, these amateur caregivers may have good reason to want to entrust their care to a nursing home or assisted living facility with adequate staff and resources to completely see to their needs.

The expectation after entrusting a loved one’s care to such a facility is that any potential issues that could come from neglect will not arise (such as the development of bedsores). Yet bedsores remain a consistent problem facing nursing homes and care centers (not to mention a costly one). Indeed, according to information shared by Healthcare Finance, bedsores (or pressure ulcers, as clinicians often refer to them) create as much as $26.8 billion in healthcare costs annually.

What are bedsores?

Even with the prevalence of bedsores, many of those with loved ones in nursing homes may not understand what they actually are. Per the Mayo Clinic, bedsores form from constant pressure applied to the same area of skin over time. The pressure leads to decreased blood flow to the area, eventually resulting in damage to both the skin and the underlying tissue. The first signs and symptoms of a bedsore can be discoloration of the affected area, followed by openings in the skin and possible pus-like drainage. A lack of immediate treatment can lead to infection, resulting in the potential need for amputations or even death.

A preventable problem

Those confined in their movements are often susceptible to bedsores. Monitoring and consistent movements might easily prevent them. Nursing home staff members must ensure that residents with limited mobility make such movements (either assisted or unassisted). A failure to do so might reasonably qualify as negligence.

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