Understanding why bed sores might be a sign of nursing home abuse is vital in investigating the cause of your loved one's wounds. When a resident develops bed sores, it is primarily due to neglect, a common form of nursing home abuse.
If your loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse, schedule a free consultation with a nursing home abuse lawyer immediately. They will approach your case with compassion and confidence while demanding that liable parties be held accountable for financial compensation.
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What Are Bed Sores?
Bed sores are also called pressure ulcers, decubitus ulcers, and pressure injuries. They are wounds that form when the skin is exposed to excessive pressure for lengthy durations of time. Bed sores generally develop on bonier body areas, such as:
- Ankles
- Heels
- Elbows
- Shoulders
- Inner knees
- Hips
- Tailbones
- The back of the head
Bed sores appear as red, purple, or blue patches that won't turn white when applying pressure. The area may feel warm to the touch, appear swollen, and become itchy and painful. When not adequately addressed and cared for, bed sores can quickly evolve into blisters, open wounds, and even unpleasant smells.
What Causes Bed Sores?
Bed sores can be caused by pressure against the skin, limiting blood flow to skin tissues. Limited mobility is another significant cause of bed sores, and it might be a sign of nursing home abuse. Bed sores have three primary causes: pressure, friction, and shear.
Pressure
Prolonged pressure on any body part, which decreases blood flow to tissues, is a significant cause of bed sores. Blood flow delivers oxygen and nutrients to tissues; skin tissues can die within hours without these elements.
Residents who sit or lay down for long periods of time without adequate care are prone to bed sores caused by pressure. Nursing home residents experiencing coma, paralysis, surgical recovery, or sedation are also more susceptible to developing bed sores.
Friction
Nursing home residents are prone to bed sores caused by friction due to fragile skin and injury vulnerability. Aged skin is especially vulnerable when moist, for example, if a resident is sweaty or after bathing.
Friction occurs when the skin drags or rubs roughly against bedding, clothing, or towels. This issue commonly arises when residents are improperly handled with one-person transfers instead of two.
Shear
Shear occurs when two surfaces move in opposing directions, injuring the skin and leading to bed sores. For example, when a caregiver raises a bed, a resident may slide down, causing the tailbone to slide with them. However, when the skin over the tailbone stays in place, it creates shear as the surface of the bone and skin move in different directions.
Why Bed Sores Might Be a Sign of Nursing Home Abuse
Several causes of bed sores constitute nursing home abuse, including the caregiver's failure to provide hygiene care, reposition residents, provide hydration and nutrition, provide incontinence care, properly train staff, understaffing, and willful negligence.
Failure to Provide Adequate Hygiene
Nursing home aides are responsible for providing adequate hygiene care for residents. Hygiene includes keeping the skin clean, moisturized, and dry. Nursing home abuse occurs when staff neglects to provide hygiene care, resulting in the development of bed sores.
Failure to Reposition Residents
Repositioning residents with limited or restricted mobility is pertinent in ensuring prolonged pressure isn't applied to the skin. Nursing home staff failing to reposition residents regularly results in bed sores, constituting nursing home abuse.
Failure to Provide Adequate Food and Water
When nursing home caregivers fail to provide proper nutrition and hydration, it can lead to malnutrition and dehydration. Both conditions weaken the skin, creating a significant risk of bed sores for nursing home residents. If your loved one became dehydrated or malnourished in nursing home negligence, consult a nursing home abuse attorney immediately.
Failure to Provide Incontinence Clean Up and Care
Skin with extended exposure to urine and stool breaks down the skin, making it more vulnerable and susceptible to developing bed sores. Caregivers who neglect to clean up and care for residents with incontinence adequately are guilty of nursing home abuse.
Failure to Properly Train Staff and Understaffing
Two of the most significant issues nursing homes across the nation face are inadequate training and understaffing. The problem is twofold. Nursing homes are understaffed and eager to hire new people to alleviate the stress load on other caregivers.
However, this practice results in staff with inadequate training and improper care techniques working with residents too quickly. This negligence can lead to poor practices and abuse that cause bed sores and other symptoms of nursing home abuse.
Willful Negligence
Some cases of nursing home abuse that lead to bed sores involve intentional neglect. That means the nursing home staff deliberately allowed a resident to develop bed sores by neglecting care. If your nursing home abuse lawyer can prove willful negligence, that criminal charge is punishable and may also warrant punitive damages.
Related article: Types of Nursing Home Abuse
What to Do if Your Loved One Has Bed Sores Because of Nursing Home Abuse
If you discover that your loved one has bed sores because of nursing home abuse, you need to document everything. In addition, you should speak with the nursing home staff, report the abuse, and consult a nursing home abuse attorney.
Related article: What to Do if Your Loved One Is a Victim of Elder Abuse?
Document Everything
A vital part of proving nursing home abuse is providing evidence that verifies it. Document everything. Take pictures and video of the bed sores. Remember to record the date, time, and notes regarding care received in your presence. Witness statements from caregivers and other residents are also helpful in establishing negligence.
Consult With Nursing Home Staff
Talk to the nursing home staff about the bed sores. Document their verbal and nonverbal responses. Ask the nursing staff to revise the care plan for your loved one to prioritize treating the bed sores. Monitor and document how that transpires.
Report the Nursing Home Abuse
Reporting nursing home abuse generally involves contacting your local adult protective services (APS). It is the primary agency for investigating reports of elder and nursing home abuse. Additionally, you can contact the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) to determine the best agency to report nursing home abuse in your state.
Consult a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
If your loved one is a victim of bed sores and nursing home abuse, schedule a free consultation with a nursing home abuse lawyer today. You'll want to discuss your legal options, including the right to recover financial compensation.