Florida is home to many senior nursing home centers. The elderly are attracted to Florida by the warm weather. Some elderly citizens need the help of a nursing home to manage the last years of their lives. Nursing homes are required, by Federal and state law, to provide proper care for their residents. Many nursing homes provide adequate care, but sometimes the homes are negligent in the duties to their clients. Abuses do occur. One of the more common abuses are bedsores and infections.
Bedsores can be a direct cause of abuse or a sign/indication that other abuse is also taking place. Failure to prepare for bedsores (also known as pressure sores or pressure ulcers) can be negligence, abuse or medical malpractice.
Why do bedsores happen? Because elderly residents are often sedentary, they sit or rest or even sleep for long periods of time without movement. Bedsores can occur in wheelchairs, regular chairs or beds. The lack of blood circulation is the underlying cause of bedsores.
Which part of the body is most affected? Areas where the skin and bone connect – such as elbows, ankles, the heels, hips, head, shoulders and even the back.
What are the dangers? The key danger is that bedsores can lead to infections. Infections can lead to disease and even death. Bedsores that begin as just redness can penetrate the skin (causing lost skin). The damage to the lost skin can penetrate the bones and bone damage can be very serious. Bedsores can ultimately result in joint damage, sepsis, cellulitis, tissue loss and cancer – in addition to bone damage.
Remedies. Bedsores are easy to prevent so it is alarming that there are so many residents with bedsores. The nursing home staff should make sure the patient does these steps or they should do them for the patient.
Movement – the key remedy is to move, to adjust the body position regularly. A patient in a wheelchair should move frequently. A bed-ridden patient should be moved every couple of hours.
Avoid bone contact – patients should not rest on a bony part of your body like the hips.
Better mattress – some mattresses are better for preventing bedsores than others.
The skin should be inspected regularly – for redness, smell, signs of infection, and tenderness.
Work with a nutrition. Diet can also affect bedsores. A good nutritionist can help by prescribing a better diet.
Exercise. If the patient can’t exercise on his/her own, a physical therapist might help.
What to do if your elderly parent or a loved one suffers from bedsores and complications from bedsores.
- Get proper medical attention.
- Consult with an attorney. A skilled Florida nursing home lawyer will know the laws, the relevant state agencies, will have investigators who can show the cause of any abuse, and can properly bring a claim.
How Brooks Law Group can help
If you or a loved one suspects any form of neglect or abuse by a nursing home or adult care facility please contact our firm. During this difficult time we will help you receive the maximum compensation allowed by law and we will assist you through every step of the case. Our team of lawyers works with medical professionals, valuation experts, technical experts and other lawyers. If you or a loved one suffered an injury or a death please call us at 1-888-WE-MEAN-IT (1-888-936-3264) or email us at: [email protected].
