Bedsores occur in around 28% of nursing home and long-term facility residents. These painful sores can create dangerous and life-threatening complications in vulnerable elderly populations. Understanding what bedsores are and how they develop may be able to help you determine if your loved one is suffering from a bedsore and if their nursing home facility is to blame.
Bedsores are injuries caused by prolonged pressure on one area of the body that cause damage to the skin and underlying tissue. They often develop on bony areas like the sacrum, hips, and ankles.
There are four stages of bedsores, categorized by symptoms and severity. Stage 1 consists of reddened skin that may be sore or warm to the touch. Stage 2 is when an open sore or blister forms, sometimes with a shallow opening. A stage 3 bedsore is a deeper wound that affects the tissue below the skin and may look like a crater. Stage 4 bedsores extend into the tendons, muscles, and bones of the affected area, causing intense pain and increasing the risk of infection.
Bedsores are caused by prolonged pressure to the skin that restricts blood flow. Unfortunately, they are relatively common in nursing homes and in other populations of people who have limited mobility or are bedridden and not receiving proper care. Some of the factors that can contribute to bedsores are listed below.
Excessive moisture can weaken the skin and make bedsores more likely, including moisture related to urine, feces, and sweat.
If a nursing home resident’s skin repeatedly rubs against their bedding, clothes, or furniture, bedsores can develop from the friction caused by this rubbing.
Being bedridden or having difficulty ambulating is one of the most common contributing factors to bedsores since the constant pressure of sitting in a chair or laying in a bed can easily cause bedsores to develop.
Poor nutrition, inadequate wound care, and dehydration can also contribute to the worsening of bedsores. Pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes and circulatory issues can also negatively impact bedsore healing. When wounds cannot heal properly due to external or internal forces, bedsores are more likely to advance into more severe stages.
Just because bedsores can be caused by common ailments and behaviors of the aging population doesn’t mean that nursing homes cannot be held liable for these potentially severe injuries. Neglect is a significant contributor to the development and worsening of bedsores in nursing homes, as there are many steps caregivers can take to prevent them from occurring, including:
When nursing homes fail to take these preventive measures or step in to slow the progression of existing bedsores, they may be held liable for the injuries and complications that residents experience. Skin and bone infections can progress rapidly, as can blood infections like sepsis, which is a life-threatening condition.
Once a bedsore has developed, healing and treatment can take a significant amount of time, and the elderly resident must suffer through the process.
If your loved one has been neglected in a nursing home and developed a bedsore as a result, contact the nursing home attorneys at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC. The vulnerable populations that rely on nursing homes for sufficient care deserve an advocate when they’ve been neglected or abused. Let us help you and your aging loved one hold the nursing home accountable for the harm they’ve caused. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
