For many older adults, mild bedsores are part of advanced age. As people become less mobile and spend more time in bed or on reclining chairs, their chances of developing a bedsore or pressure ulcer increase.
Sedentary lifestyles, combined with the reduced immune function that often accompanies advanced age, can make bedsores a persistent concern and source of discomfort for older adults. In some cases, bedsores go from being painful and inconvenient to downright dangerous.
When do bedsores become a serious issue?
For immunocompromised individuals and those with other underlying medical issues, even early-stage bedsores can cause medical complications. For many older adults, bedsores must progress past the initial stage of development to present significant medical risk.
When the skin over a bedsore breaks, the possibility of infection arises. When bedsores progress into deeper tissue, permanent damage to the body is possible.
Nursing home workers should make every effort to keep people active and to use a variety of interventions, such as cushioning, to limit bedsore development or progression. The failure to check people for bedsores and intervene when they start developing can be indicative of neglect. The risk is a well-known one, and workers should prioritize taking steps necessary to minimize the risk of bedsore development or prevent them from posing serious medical risk to residents.
Filing a lawsuit related to bedsores can help cover medical costs and may prompt improved practices at a nursing home. Residents in their families may need to take legal action in response to nursing home negligence when workers don’t provide an appropriate standard of care.