Bed sores can be a warning sign of neglect in a care facility

 Posted on April 18, 2024 in Uncategorized

Pressure ulcers can be incredibly painful. Also known as bed sores, pressure ulcers develop when people remain in one position for extended amounts of time. Someone who cannot get out of bed or out of an armchair without support is at risk of developing bed sores.

People tend to associate bed sores with life in nursing homes. After all, older adults often live largely sedentary lifestyles. Despite that association, bed sores are not actually an inevitable aspect of aging. Many of them are preventable if workers in nursing homes pay proper attention to residents. Oftentimes, a loved one who is developing multiple bed sores, experiencing an infection related to bed sores or suffering from later-stage bed sores may have been subjected to neglect at the facility where they live.

Bed sores take time to develop

Someone has to remain in the same position without movement or cushioning for long periods of time for significant bed sores to develop. An early stage or topical bed sore can potentially develop in just a single day in some cases. Still, the resident could recover from that bed sore just as quickly with the right support.

Proper medical interventions, including cushioning and physical rotation when someone cannot move themselves, could prevent bed sores from forming or worsening. Regular inspections of someone’s body can also help staff members spot bed sores early to prevent them from worsening and reduce the risk of infection.

Someone with a later-stage bed sore may have remained in the same position for multiple days without proper medical support. Given that bed sores tend to develop in the same general locations, healthcare professionals understand how to screen people and protect them from bed sore development. The failure to regularly assist someone to avoid bed sore development is potentially a form of negligence.

Understanding that bed sores are a sign of negligence, not just an inevitable aspect of a sedentary life, can help people identify nursing home negligence. Families that are worried about negligence may pursue legal action to protect their loved one and recover losses the family has incurred as a result of the harm at issue.