How to Prevent Bed Sores
Bed sores are a common but preventable medical issue that can develop after extended bed rest. Bed sores are a serious sign of nursing home abuse or neglect. Levin & Perconti can help you take legal action and gain compensation after a loved one suffers bed sores due to nursing home abuse.
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Bed sores, also called pressure ulcers, occur when the skin is under pressure for a long period of time. They pose a risk for anyone dealing with limited mobility, and they’re a particular concern for those who are bedridden or confined to a wheelchair.
When left untreated, bed sores can lead to a host of medical complications and even death. But they are easily preventable with appropriate care. Below, you’ll learn how to ensure this serious medical condition doesn’t affect a loved one.
When bed sores afflict a nursing home resident, the problem is even more serious. Nursing homes have a heightened obligation to attend to their residents’ care. The appearance of bed sores indicates that abuse or neglect is likely happening. Bed sores on a nursing home resident are typically grounds for legal action and compensation.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of nursing home bed sores, contact Levin & Perconti today and we can advice how to proceed with taking legal action.
Can caregivers prevent bed sores?
Effective bed sore prevention begins with understanding what bed sores are and how they occur.
When a person has limited mobility, they spend long periods in the same position. This puts extended pressure on certain parts of the body. If caregivers do not follow proper prevention methods, this pressure can lead to the formation of ulcers.
Those who care for a family member may find it challenging to learn how to prevent bed sores. However, taking the time to learn and put proper practices in place is essential for providing your loved one with sufficient care.
When a loved one lives at a nursing home or assisted living facility, bed sores should not occur. Nursing homes have strict procedures to protect the health and well-being of their residents.
Bed sores afflicting a nursing home resident could be a sign that either a facility is negligent in its care practices and its staffing policies or that the employees responsible for care are engaging in negligent or abusive practices.
Steps for Preventing Bed Sores
Caregivers can easily prevent bed sores by following certain basic care tips, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. These include:
- Regular turning or repositioning
- Inspecting skin daily for signs of sores
- Using padding on beds, chairs, and wheelchairs
- Maintaining skin hygiene
- Not allowing the skin to remain wet or damp
- Maintaining proper nutrition and hydration
Experts at Johns Hopkins state that a bed sore can begin to form after just two to three hours after pressure cuts off blood supply to the skin, so the recommended timeframe for scheduled repositioning is roughly every two hours. However, a patient’s care plan should be assessed and reassessed to ensure their individual needs are met.
How do bed sores occur?
Bed sores can easily happen when caregivers do not follow the standard care practices outlined above. Typically, bed sores can impact individuals who have the following conditions:
- Limited mobility or time spent in a wheelchair
- Incontinence
- Loss of sensation
- Blood flow issues
- Nutrition problems
In each of these situations, certain body parts are under pressure, which makes them vulnerable to bed sores. For example, someone who uses a wheelchair could develop bed sores in areas that rest against the chair, such as their tailbone or the backs of their legs.
According to the Mayo Clinic, bed sores often appear in the following areas:
- Tailbone
- Buttocks
- Spine
- Shoulder blades
- Backs of arms and legs
- Heels and ankles
- Back and sides of the head
How a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Can Help
If you or a loved one has experienced inadequate care resulting in bed sores, a nursing home abuse lawyer will assess your case and determine the best steps in taking legal action against the nursing home in which neglect occurred.
Failing to engage a lawyer can be a mistake, as it’s unlikely you’ll receive adequate compensation without legal representation. An experienced lawyer who has the resources to go after large corporations and facilities can help ensure that you receive maximum compensation after nursing home neglect leads to bed sores.
Who is liable for bed sores?
Typically, the nursing home facility owners and operators would be held liable for bed sores. A facility may not have proper procedures or adequate staffing in place, may not follow standard procedures, or may neglect to properly train employees.
It’s also possible to hold multiple parties accountable. If a nursing home employee intentionally abuses a resident, they can be held liable in addition to the facility.
Why choose Levin & Perconti?
Levin & Perconti has received national recognition for our legal work in defense of nursing home abuse victims. Our firm has gained over a billion dollars in compensation for our clients. In one Illinois bed sore case, we achieved a record-breaking $3 million settlement for our client. family.
Levin & Perconti attorneys are leaders in gaining justice for the victims of nursing home abuse and neglect, having been one of the first firms to pursue this type of litigation over 30 years ago. Our nursing home case results and client testimonials speak for themselves.
If you or a loved one has developed bed sores due to abusive or neglectful care in an assisted living facility, Levin & Perconti can help. Don’t delay speaking with a lawyer about nursing home bed sores, as the law limits the time frame in which you can act.
Contact us today to speak with an experienced Levin & Perconti lawyer about how to gain compensation for your family.
$1.4 million
Settlement
against a facility located in the northern suburbs for a former nursing home resident who sustained injuries as a result of a pressure sore.
$2.8 million
Settlement
record nursing home pressure sore settlement against a suburban Hillside nursing home and physician for a 59-year-old resident who developed multiple painful and infected bedsores which took four years to heal
$2.3 million
Settlement
for the family of an 88-year-old assisted living facility resident who developed severe and infected bed sores which ultimately brought about her death. Her doctor was criminally indicted for his conduct and charged with involuntary homicide
Testimonials
Legally Reviewed by
Steven M. Levin
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Notable Results
VERDICT
on behalf of an 85-year-old woman injured in a nursing home when her medications were mismanaged.
VERDICT
for the estate of a 67-year-old man who died from complications related to a fall
SETTLEMENT
for a 59-year-old resident who developed multiple painful and infected bedsores which took four years to heal.
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