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Decubitus ulcers, commonly known as bedsores, are painful injuries to the skin and underlying tissue. Nursing home residents who have mobility issues are susceptible to developing bedsores. Although these facilities are required to take reasonable steps to prevent such injuries, many of them fail to do so.
When nursing homes cause their residents to suffer from bedsores, it could be a sign of abuse and neglect. Having an attorney can help your family put an end to the problem and win compensation for your loved one. The Long Island nursing home injury attorneys of Dell & Dean PLLC explain what you need to know.
What Are Common Bedsore Symptoms?
Recognizing the signs of bedsores can help you get the medical attention that your family member needs. Bedsores often affect the shoulder blades, ankles, and hips of victims. They usually begin as red or purple marks on the skin, but can quickly develop into open wounds without proper treatment.
Common symptoms of bedsore include:
- Changes in skin texture or color
- Draining
- Swelling
- Changes in skin temperature
- Tenderness
These signs are often indicators that the resident has not received adequate attention or medical care, which is why bedsores are a sign of nursing home abuse and neglect. If the problems persist, the bedsore could deepen and even expose bone. The resulting infection can present life-threatening complications for the resident.
Where Do Bedsores Occur?
Bedsores usually occur due to an extensive loss of blood flow to a particular area of the skin. Residents of Long Island nursing homes who use wheelchairs and are confined to beds are therefore at high risk of developing bedsores. For those who use wheelchairs, bedsores typically form on the following sites:
- Buttocks
- Tailbone
- Spine
- Shoulder blades
- Backs of legs and arms
Those residents who are confined to their beds may see bedsores develop in these areas:
- Sides and back of the head
- Shoulder blades
- Hips
- Lower back
- Tailbone
- Ankles
- Heels
- Behind the knees
Common Causes of Bedsores
As noted above, bedsores are often the result of nursing home abuse and neglect. More specifically, residents of Long Island nursing homes often develop these wounds when staff members fail to reposition or treat them. Causes of bedsores include:
- Limited mobility: Nursing home residents with limited mobility are at risk of developing bedsores if they aren’t frequently repositioned. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, staff members routinely fail to reposition residents as required, leading to the formation of bedsores.
- Friction: Prolonged friction on one area of the skin can result in bedsores. For instance, when an area of a person’s skin constantly rubs against his or her bedding or clothing, this often causes bedsores to form. Therefore, nursing home employees should remain cognizant of this risk when transporting patients who have mobility issues.
- Pressure: Finally, bedsores can form when pressure is applied to the skin for an extended period of time. As an example, when a resident stays in one position for a long time without being repositioned, this can lead to bedsores.
How Nursing Homes Can Prevent Bedsores
When Long Island nursing homes and other facilities take a few commonsense steps, they can prevent unnecessary injuries like bedsores. But the absence of these steps may indicate abuse or neglect:
- Understand the patient’s medical history: Some residents, especially those with diabetes, those with cardiovascular diseases, and those over age 70 are more susceptible to bedsores. If the nursing facility does not take this into account when caring for the patient, injury is more likely.
- Routinely reposition the resident: Everyone, but particularly those residents with mobility problems, needs to move from time to time. But the nursing home may neglect to do this and leave someone in the same position for an extended period of time, causing bedsores.
- Follow proper care routines: Nursing home facilities should have protocols in place to not only prevent bedsores but to administer adequate medical care if they arise anyway. When nursing homes follow these routines, they can prevent complications like infection.
- Never permit the use of immobility as punishment: Under no circumstance should a facility punish a resident by intentionally leaving them immobile or isolated for unreasonable periods of time. This crosses the line from neglect into abuse.
Legal Options For Long Island Families
If your loved one has developed bedsores, it’s important that you understand your legal rights. Bedsores are strong evidence of abuse and neglect because they are fairly easy to prevent and treat. We can explore the following options with you and your family:
- Reporting the incident to Adult Protective Services (APS): APS investigates complaints of elder abuse and neglect while working to protect nursing home residents.
- Reporting to the nursing home ombudsman: This individual advocates for the rights of nursing home residents and addresses issues about the quality of care they receive.
- Filing a legal claim for monetary compensation: Filing a lawsuit can win the compensation your loved one deserves to pay for medical treatment, pain and suffering, and relocation expenses.
Contact a Long Island Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer
Nursing homes have a legal obligation to protect their residents from injuries. Unfortunately, however, they sometimes fail to do so. If you or a loved one are a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, Dell & Dean PLLC is on your side.
When you come to us for help, we will work diligently to hold the facility financially accountable for its actions. Please contact us today to schedule a consultation with a nursing home abuse and neglect attorney.
