Bedsores in Greeley Nursing Homes

If your loved one is a resident at an assisted living facility or nursing home, it is crucial to watch for the signs of abuse and neglect. These residents rely on staff members for many of their daily needs, and a failure to meet these needs could result in serious harm.

Bedsores in Greeley nursing homes may indicate that your loved one is not receiving the care they need and deserve. It is devastating to think that someone you love may be suffering in a facility meant to protect them, but you have legal options. A seasoned nursing home abuse attorney could help seek compensation to cover medical costs and hold facilities accountable.

What Causes Bedsores?

Extended pressure on the skin and tissue can cause bedsores. Otherwise known as pressure sores or ulcers, these injuries frequently develop on heels, ankles, hips, and the tailbone. While most sores heal with proper treatment, some never heal and cause infections and other complications.

When a nursing home resident does not receive proper care, poor hygiene can cause bedsores to develop within hours or days. Friction or rubbing of the skin can also form a pressure ulcer. Some warning signs of bedsores or pressure ulcers in Greeley nursing homes include:

• Swelling
• Tender or pain in the affected area
• Discolored skin
• Warm to the touch
• Blister or open wounds

If a pressure ulcer is caught and treated early on its development, symptoms will stay mild. But when a bedsore progresses, it can cause a deeper wound that can penetrate the skin, tissue, muscle, or bone. These cases are considered category three or four pressure ulcers and require prompt medical care.

Nursing Home Residents Are Vulnerable to Bedsores

Nursing home residents are at an increased risk of developing bedsores because they often have medical conditions that limit their mobility or require them to be on bed rest. Conditions like paralysis, stress, infections, or poor nutrition are all risk factors for developing pressure ulcers.

However, the leading cause of bedsores in nursing homes is neglect or other abuse. Bedsores form when nursing home staff members fail to provide residents with food or water, frequently move or rotate patients, or leave them in positions that exert extra pressure on sensitive areas. Assisted living facilities are often understaffed, but they are still responsible for supporting and protecting each resident under their care.

Family members can watch for signs of nursing home abuse to protect their loved ones from developing painful pressure ulcers.Nursing home staff members who fail to care for residents should be held responsible. When a loved one in a Greeley nursing home suffers from bedsores, an experienced and compassionate attorney could take legal action against the negligent party.

Call a Greeley Attorney to Discuss Bedsores in Nursing Homes

Bedsores in Greeley nursing homes may be a sign that a facility is not taking proper care of its residents. When your loved one is in pain or exhibits any signs of abuse, it is essential to contact a lawyer as soon as possible. A nursing home abuse attorney could help gather evidence to support your claim, file a lawsuit within the state’s procedural limitations, and obtain fair compensation.

While no amount of money can undo the effects of nursing home abuse, it is important to hold abusive staff responsible to prevent further harm. Contact us today to discuss your legal options.