Bedsores and Malnutrition
Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect
PA | NJ Personal Injury Lawyer
Bedsores · Wrongful Death · Malpractice Lawsuits · Elder Abuse
When it comes to bedsores and malnutrition, you will want to know the facts on how it happened. It is rare for a long-term care or nursing home facility to be forthcoming with such information because most bedsores (or bed sores) are the result of nursing home neglect. In short, bed sores are caused by unrelieved pressure on the body. That is why they are also commonly called pressure sores. Other factors including malnutrition can play a part in bed sore development and deterioration. If a resident is not properly nourished, the chances of him or her developing a bed sore are significantly increased.
You need to know your loved one’s rights and how to avoid nursing home neglect and abuse.
A Nursing Home’s Failure to Keep its Residents Nourished
Nursing home residents rely on diligent staff members to provide them adequate amounts of food to meet their nutritional needs. Unfortunately, many residents cannot feed themselves and must rely on staff members for this task. It is the responsibility of the nursing home to determine which residents need assistance with eating and to ensure that all residents’ nutritional needs are being met. This is particularly important for those who are at risk for or have already developed a bed sore. Poor nutritional intake can make the skin more vulnerable to wounds and can make the healing process much more difficult.
Bedsores and Malnutrition: Short-Staffed Nursing Homes
Many nationwide nursing homes are owned by large corporations with tight budgets. The facilities’ corporate owners are focused on their bottom lines and routinely cut their nursing home staffing to drastic levels in order to reduce costs and increase profits. This impacts the quality care (or lack thereof) that residents receive. It places nursing home and long-term care residents at a greater risk of nursing home abuse and neglect.
In Bucks County, Montgomery, Philadelphia, or any PA & NJ nursing home, elderly residents are most likely neglected where there is short-staffing, which is when bedsores and malnutrition can occur. It takes time to feed residents who cannot care for themselves. If a nursing home is short-staffed, proper nutritional needs are not provided and vulnerable nursing home residents become malnourished. As a result of this nursing home neglect, bed sores often develop and rapidly deteriorate to severe wounds. Bedsore development of malnourished residents is one of the most common signs of neglect found in Philadelphia nursing home facilities and throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Bedsores that develop in nursing homes are mostly avoidable if proper pressure relief and nourishment is provided.
There Are No Good Reasons: Only Excuses
Nursing homes or long-term care facilities never want to take responsibility for the development and/or deterioration of a bed sore. A nursing home will firmly try to convince family members that the bed sore was the result of factors out of the nursing staff’s control. In Philadelphia and its suburban neighbors (Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware counties), as well as all over Pennsylvania and New Jersey, nursing home care providers typically point to the resident’s age and/or medical conditions as the reason for the bed sore. Be careful not to quickly accept this reason. Most bed sores are entirely avoidable when proper care is provided.
Bed Sores and Malnutrition Can Be Signs of Nursing Home Neglect
Brian P. Murphy, Nursing Home Malpractice Attorney
Since 2006, Mr. Murphy has litigated many cases of nursing home abuse and/or neglect. He has devoted his legal career to fighting for the rights of elderly and vulnerable nursing home residents and knows precisely where to look and with whom to speak to make sure your loved one gets the proper care he or she deserves.
Contact an Attorney
Brian P. Murphy is an experienced and well-regarded New Jersey and Pennsylvania nursing home abuse attorney. He has successfully represented many elderly nursing home residents subjected to abuse and neglect. Mr. Murphy handles cases throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. If you see signs of nursing home abuse or neglect, take immediate action today. Contact nursing home abuse attorney, Brian P. Murphy, to discuss your potential legal matter.
This website is owned by Attorney Brian P. Murphy. Its purpose is to assist you in understanding your rights, especially when it comes to preventing or protecting yourself and/or your loved ones against nursing home abuse, neglect, bedsores, dehydration, and wrongful death. Legal matters are billed on a contingency fee basis.
Nothing on this website is to be construed as attorney advice or otherwise creating an attorney-client relationship. If you may be interested in establishing a relationship with The Law Firm of Brian P. Murphy, PC, please contact us to discuss your options.