How Bedsores Affect the Health of Nursing Home Residents in Tennessee

By Thomas Greer | April 21, 2014

If your elderly relative spends much or all of their time in a bed or a wheelchair, they may be at risk for developing bedsores. Bedsores can be very painful, and they can progress quickly if they are not promptly treated. Family members of people who live in nursing homes must educate themselves about bedsores so that they can get their loved ones the help that they need if they develop a bedsore.

A bedsore is an area of skin and tissue which has been damaged as the result of prolonged pressure. You have probably noticed that when you sit or lay in one position for a long time, you become uncomfortable. That discomfort is a result of the pressure which is created by the weight of your body pressing against the surface that you are sitting or lying on. If you are mobile, you reposition yourself in order to relieve your discomfort, often without even thinking about it. When a person is unable to reposition themselves in their bed or in a wheelchair, they may develop bedsores if their caregivers do not reposition them often enough.

Bedsores begin as patches of discolored skin which feel different from the surrounding skin in temperature and texture. A bedsore of this type is a stage one bedsore. If stage one bedsores are not treated through regular repositioning, padding or cushioning, and proper cleaning, they may become stage two bedsores. A stage two bedsore has thinning skin, and looks like a cut, scrape, or blister. At this stage and beyond, bedsores require treatment by surgical or nonsurgical debridement, the removal of dead or damaged tissue. As a bedsore progresses from stage two to stage three, it becomes even more painful and difficult to treat. Stage three bedsores are deep, open sores which are black around the edges. Stage four bedsores are extremely painful deep, open wounds which reveal connective tissue and bone. These devastating injuries can easily become severely infected, and complications from bedsores can lead to death.

Older adults are at greater risk for developing bedsores because as people age, their circulation decreases and their skin becomes thinner. Some older adults are at a greater risk for developing bedsores than others. Adults who are incontinent may develop bedsores in areas where their skin is often moist. Malnourished nursing home residents do not receive the dietary support that they need in order to heal properly, so bedsores may be persistent if they develop. Also, when nursing home resident are underweight, they lack the muscle and fat which serves as cushioning for their bones. Diabetes and other conditions which affect the circulatory system also increase bedsore risk.

Most bedsores are preventable through proper nutrition, regular repositioning, good hygiene, and daily skin inspections. Unfortunately, due to staffing shortages and other problems, preventative measures may fall by the wayside and residents may develop bedsores. If you notice that your elderly relative has developed a bedsore, bring it to the attention of their caregivers and ask them how they plan to treat it. Check in with your relative frequently, to see whether the bedsore is improving or worsening. If need be, speak to the management of the nursing home, or an attorney.

If someone that you love has been injured or killed by a bedsore that they developed in a nursing home, the experienced Tennessee nursing neglect attorneys at Bailey & Greer, PLLC would like to help you. We will sit down with you to explain your options and help you decide how to proceed. Call us today, at 901-680-9777, to schedule your initial consultation.  At Bailey & Greer, PLLC, we are small enough to care, big enough to fight, and experienced enough to win.

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