Nursing home abuse is a tragedy that has been responsible for far too many catastrophic injuries and deaths among helpless and dependent older adults. Nursing home abuse may also involve younger, permanently disabled patients who are incapable of caring for themselves, such as severe traumatic brain injury patients.
The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) defines nursing home / elder abuse as a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person. Abuse is inclusive of all acts of neglect, violence, mental and psychological abuse (intimidation), sexual misconduct and deception or abuse of trust.
- Bed Sores: Bed sores are also called pressure sores, decubitus ulcers or pressure ulcers. Bed sores are one of the tell-tale signs of nursing home abuse or neglect in any managed care setting. Nursing homes have the leading concentration of patients who suffer from bed sores. Bed sores are skin wounds that result from prolonged pressure on the flesh, such as that produced by a bed or wheelchair. Nursing home patients who are unable to stand up, get out of a bed, or reposition without assistance are among those most prone to bed sores. Bed sores are open wounds (ulcers) and can easily lead to skin or bone infections.
Patients who need assistance changing position or who lie in a vegetative state require consistent attention to prevent sores from forming. Residents in wheelchairs should shift positions every 30 minutes, while those in beds must be adjusted every two hours. Inspection for bed sores is a crucial to early detection of potential nursing home neglect. Visiting family members should find ways to check a resident’s entire backside, which may include the upper-thighs, lower back, and buttocks. Caregivers have regular access to such areas, but family members from outside of a nursing home may need to create an “accidental” way to inspect private areas for sores.
- Sepsis: Sepsis, also known as septic shock, is the condition most commonly caused by urinary tract and respiratory tract infections, the two most common illnesses in nursing homes according to researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Sepsis is a serious infection in the bloodstream that can lead to organ failure. The third leading cause of sepsis and septic shock is bed sores. Any of these conditions can be easily prevented if adequate care is available to all residents.
Nursing home residents fitted with catheters are prone to urinary tract infections when old catheters are not changed out and replaced with new ones in a timely fashion. Elderly residents, like small children, are also more susceptible to respiratory infections. Bed sores can also lead to septic shock if left untreated. Negligence, a common form of nursing home abuse, can leave any of these conditions unmanaged, allowing them to fester and progress into sepsis or septic shock. Sepsis typically begins from failure to prevent or care for a small infection and then a more serious infection spreads throughout the body.
- Malnutrition: Malnutrition is the second leading form of nursing home neglect. Malnutrition is the health condition that results from an unbalanced or inadequate diet, lacking in proper vitamins and nutrients to sustain healthy body function. Malnutrition also results from not having enough food to eat. Many nursing home residents may have dental problems, making eating difficult. Others suffer from dementia and may not know when they need to eat and may may lack the ability to feed themselves.
Sometimes, nursing home residents who require assistance eating may suffer due to staff shortages. Others may decide not to eat their food if they have to wait too long or if the food gets cold. Common signs of malnutrition can include:
- Dry Skin
- Bloated Abdomen
- Organ Function Problems/Failure
- Rapid Mental Decline
- Bone Fragility, Weight Loss, Weakness
- Bleeding gums, tooth decay
- Chronic or Sudden Fatigue
References:
National Center on Elder Abuse
Florida Department of Elder Affairs
