Bedsores and Nursing Home Neglect

Nursing home neglect, along with inadequate or poorly trained staff, is one of the major causes of bedsores in nursing home residents. If your loved one does not receive the necessary preventative measures on a regular, consistent basis, bedsore development can and will occur. Bedsores can worsen rapidly, and what might first appear to be a minor injury can quickly progress to the more severe stages of bedsore development. Unfortunately, nursing home neglect can be difficult to identify unless you spend a fair amount of time at the nursing home facility itself.

Residents who are at risk of developing bedsores require not just turning regularly, but regular bathing and skin inspection as well. The skin must be kept clean and well-moisturized, and any irritants must be kept to a minimum. For some nursing home facilities, the staff does not provide the level of attention required to prevent bedsores. In cases of nursing home neglect, the problems multiply.

For instance, if a nursing home resident is neglected, he or she runs the risk of suffering from dehydration and/or malnutrition – both of these conditions are direct contributing factors to bedsore development. Dehydration leads to less elasticity in the skin, which can result in wounds that develop and worsen more quickly. Malnutrition also speeds the deterioration process, and can weaken the immune system significantly, which poses a danger in the form of increased risk of infection.

If your loved one is incontinent, nursing home neglect can exacerbate bedsores that occur as a result of skin irritation caused by direct contact with urine or waste matter. Prolonged exposure to soiled adult diapers, and/or wet or soiled bedding can increase the chances of bedsore development, and cause infection of bedsores already present.

The best way to ensure that your loved one is receiving the appropriate level of care is to visit regularly, at random intervals in order to get an accurate representation of how staff members on various shifts handle the responsibility of caring for your loved one. It only takes one shift of neglect to lead to the development of a bedsore. If turning schedules are not followed, if nutrition plans are not provided, or if the nursing home staff is not prompt in changing soiled bedding, you should discuss the problem with staff members and the nursing home management as soon as possible in order to avoid potential bedsore development. You may also need to file a report, if the situation does not improve.