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    Bed Sores: A Serious Health Problem and a Warning Sign of Nursing Home Neglect

    Posted on - Monday, September 19, 2016 under Nursing Home Abuse Bed Sores: A Serious Health Problem and a Warning Sign of Nursing Home Neglect

    For many residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities, inactivity and long spells of bed rest are the norm. But all of that time in bed can lead to serious health problems, specifically pressure ulcers, more commonly known as bed sores. These painful injuries can ultimately lead to potentially fatal infections if not treated properly. The tragedy is that almost all bed sores are avoidable if nursing home staff take the appropriate steps to monitor residents and ensure that sores do not develop. Sadly, neglect and negligence by nursing homes means that millions of our seniors are afflicted with bed sores every year. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, pressure ulcers affect more than 2.5 million people annually, leading to the deaths of 60,000 patients every year.

    It is one of the more obvious signs that a nursing home or assisted living facility is not meeting its obligations to the seniors in their care.

    What Are Bed Sores?

    A pressure ulcer/bed sore can develop when prolonged pressure is put on an area of skin. This pressure, which in nursing home settings is usually caused by lying in the same position for long periods of time, cuts off blood flow to the skin. This lack of blood causes the development of painful sores. These may begin as red or irritated skin but can then quickly evolve into broken skin, blisters, and open, bleeding wounds that are prone to potentially deadly infections.

    Since bed sores can develop quickly, sometimes in a matter of hours, nursing home residents at risk should be frequently monitored. Nursing home staff should provide help in moving the resident and adjusting their bodies, and any signs of pressure ulcers should lead to immediate treatment.

    If you or a loved one has developed bed sores in a nursing home, it is possibly if not probably the result of failures by nursing home staff to meet the appropriate standard of care. Bed sores that are caused by such negligence can be the basis of a claim for compensation.

    Parian Law Firm: Atlanta Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyers
    Should you have any concerns about the type or the quality of the care your loved one is receiving while a resident in a nursing home, you should report your concerns to the appropriate Georgia Health Department. Once you have done this, you may want to consider contacting an experienced nursing home abuse attorney for additional guidance and information.

    If you or a loved one has been the victim of elder abuse, please give us a call at (770) 727-5550 or chat live online with a member of our staff today. We can discuss your situation, evaluate your potential claim, and advise you of your options. We look forward to assisting you.