Nursing home abuse can lead to bedsores
Bedsores, also known as decubitis ulcers or pressure sores, can be very shocking to look at. These sores are avoidable and will heal immediately, sometimes within a couple of hours, if the sore gets proper attention. If left untreated, these sores can become so progressive that death is the inevitable result. Yet many nursing home residents suffer and die from these sores every year.
Across the United States, 23 percent of nursing home facilities have residences who suffer from bedsores (Treatment of Pressure Ulcers, Clinical Guideline Number 3, Agency Health Care Research and Quality Publishing No. 95-0652: December 1994). These painful sores are required by Federal Law to never reach a certain stage of progression. Before understanding these figures, we must question ourselves, what is a bedsore? We must also question how do they occur and how can they be avoided?

A bedsore is a painful sore that results from prolonged and unrelieved pressure on a bony part of the body. These sores mainly occur on the lower back, hip, or heel areas. The sore begins as redness on the skin and can progress to include tissue and muscle loss. In serious cases, muscle, bone, or organs can become exposed; this situation is considered Stage IV progression and is in violation of Federal Law, as there is no medically valid reason for this to occur.

Bedsores occur when a caregiver is negligent. Bedridden residences are especially prone to bedsore because the individual must be repositioned every two hours. When the nursing home is negligent and bedridden residents are not repositioned, bedsores will form from the unrelieved pressure. Nursing home residents that are incontinent are also prone to bedsores when the nursing home is negligent. Incontinent residences that must endure lying in urine for an extended period of time will suffer from bedsores, as the exposure to moisture will break down the skin. Malnutrition and dehydration also contribute to the formation bedsores. The following include those that are at a high risk for developing bedsores:

·        Individuals over 75 years of age

·        Immobile individuals

·        Underweight individuals

·        Incontinent individuals

·        Individuals with dry skin

It has been estimated that as many as one-fourth of the residences in nursing homes develop bedsores; however, these sores can be avoided if the sore is given proper attention. Repositioning immobile residents will immediately relieve pressure on the bony parts of the body, many times the redness of the skin will disappear within a couple of hours. Changing incontinent residences’ diapers and soiled sheets is a sure way to keep the skin dry and free of bedsores. It is also important to supply the residences with water and regular meals so that there is no serious weight loss.

Discovering a loved one has developed a bedsore while in the care of a nursing home can be upsetting, especially since bedsores are avoidable. It is very important to be educated on the cause and prevention of bedsores. If your loved one has suffered such a sore, it is your responsibility to report the nursing home to the proper authorities because is it a matter of life and death.
 

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