Do you have an elderly parent or other family member who currently resides in a nursing home in Northern California? Whether your loved one is living in Marin, Sonoma, or San Francisco County, it is important to be aware of bed sore risks and to take immediate action if you learn that your loved one has developed bed sores in the facility where they are supposed to be receiving a high quality of care. To be clear, bed sores — also known as pressure ulcers — can develop very quickly, and Stage 1 bed sores may not always be avoidable depending on an older adult’s health circumstances. Stage 1 bed sores can be effectively treated, and these have not yet developed into an open wound. However, when early bed sores are not quickly identified and treated, they can result in severe infections and even death.
A recent study in the Geriatric Medicine Journal addresses the link between bed sores and mortality, reporting that “older adults with pressure ulcers face a significantly higher risk of mortality compared to those without these injuries.”
Details of the New Elderly Bed Sore Study
According to the authors of the study, bed sores or pressure ulcers are extremely common among older adults, especially seniors who have mobility issues. In addition, older adults tend to be more vulnerable to bed sores when they have frailty issues in health respects beyond mobility, as well as psychological stressors that can affect their bodies’ ability to handle infection. The study centered around the understanding that, when bed sores are identified and addressed earlier, patients generally have positive outcomes. However, even in circumstances where bed sores are left to progress beyond Stage 1 and still treated in a somewhat timely manner, the outcomes can be significantly worse. Additionally, the cumulative effects of multiple bed sores over time can also increase an older adult’s likelihood of death.
In short, bed sores need to be identified as early as possible, and facilities need intervention strategies. The authors of the study also suggest that nursing home and assisted living facility residents with mobility issues, as well as those with other conditions that have resulted in physical and emotional frailty, be regularly assessed for pressure ulcers to prevent serious harm.
Understanding Pressure Ulcers in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities
Bed sores begin at “Stage 1,” according to the Cleveland Clinic, which is a stage at which these ulcers can be effectively treated. At Stage 1, there is no open wound, but the skin can feel tender to the touch, as well as “warmer, cooler, softer, or firmer.” With an immediate intervention, these types of pressure ulcers can heal relatively quickly, even among older adults with other health conditions. However, once bed sores reach Stage 2 (with skin loss and blisters), and into Stage 3 and Stage 4 where other parts of the mody are impacted, the patient can be at risk of severe infection and death.
Contact Our Marin County Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorneys for Help Today
If you have an elderly loved one who developed bed sores in a California nursing home and did not receive immediate and appropriate treatment, the facility may be liable for harm. While bed sores can occur even when a nursing home resident is being cared for, those bed sores should always be identified and treated before they can progress to much more serious infections. In the most serious bed sore cases, a nursing home resident can die from the infection. Our Marin County nursing home neglect lawyers are here to assist your family and your elderly loved one with a claim against the facility. Contact the California Nursing Home Law Group today for more information about how we can help you and about the services we provide in Northern California.
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