Malnutrition
Nourishment is essential for any nursing home resident. And since many residents rely on nursing home staff members for their nourishment, it places them in a precarious position. Any type of failure or negligence among the staff could lead to negative health effects. The team at LEIP Law has years of experience representing victims of nursing home injuries in Columbia, SC and that also applies to malnutrition.
Unfortunately, a surprisingly high number of nursing home residents experience malnutrition, although not all instances lead to serious medical conditions. That does not excuse the staff of negligence as malnutrition is a serious nursing home injury that can have costly repercussions. Here is a look at some of the signs a nursing home resident is experiencing malnutrition:
- Weakness and fatigue
- Weight and muscle loss
- Tooth decay
- Mental sharpness declines
- Glassy eyes
- Bloated abdominal area
- Vision problems
- Yellowing skin
- Swollen gums
Nursing Home Negligence Problems
The main issue with malnutrition among nursing home residents is that many already have some type of medical condition. Adding malnutrition onto that condition opens up the possibility for even more medical issues. Health typically worsens when a resident is malnourished and sometimes that happens rather quickly. That could lead to a sudden hospitalization or quick deterioration of health.
Malnutrition makes the immune system weaken and many nursing home residents are already dealing with a low level of immunity. That means heightening the inability to fight off illnesses could lead to an untimely death. It could also lead to the development of new medical problems. The bottom line is malnutrition among seniors in a nursing home is a segue to a myriad of health issues.
Incidents Of Continued Abuse
There are lots of reasons malnutrition occurs. Some patients lose their appetites because they are taking medications. Some staffs do not have adequate numbers when it comes to personnel while others have high turnover rates. Low quality of food will also deter residents from eating on a consistent basis. Nevertheless, these are still not ample excuses for residents to experience malnourishment.
All the issues that come with malnutrition in the elderly could be avoided, as long as the staff does their job. When malnutrition is identified, there are legal avenues that can be taken on by families and those impacted by the neglect. LEIP Law fights for the elderly as a nursing home injury attorney in Columbia, SC will work to see that the guilty parties are brought to justice.
