Bedsores or pressure ulcers are a kind of injury that people strongly associate with older adults and nursing homes. Those who are unable to freely move on their own will spend much of their day in a chair or a bed. Hours of pressure on the same parts of the body can eventually cause damage to the skin and the underlying tissue.
Bedsores start as red angry sections of skin and eventually develop into weeping, painful wounds. When you realize that your loved one who is in a nursing home and should have good support now has a bedsore, you may not realize that this injury is a reason to make a claim or even relocate your loved one.
Taking action by demanding changed practices and compensation can be a smart choice for two crucial reasons.
Bedsores can quickly become expensive
Especially once they reach the point of causing a systemic infection, bed ores can drastically increase your loved one’s care costs. Additionally, their wounds will undoubtedly decrease their quality of living. The pain that they experience will make them miserable on a day-to-day basis.
If they develop an infection, their life could be at risk. They may require surgery and specialized medical care if the bedsore has reached later stages of development. A claim against the nursing home facility can compensate your loved one for their suffering and for the costs created by the bedsore.
A financial claim can lead to changed practices
The majority of nursing homes are for-profit businesses that care more about making money than giving older residents the best quality of life possible. If you want them to change their practices, a financial incentive may be the most powerful motivation for the business to adjust its practices and provide better support for residents.
Documenting the injury will usually be an important first step. If the situation is severe, you may even need to arrange to move your loved one to a different facility. Then you will be in a better position to take legal action against the nursing home. Realizing that bedsores are preventable and a sign of nursing home neglect can inspire you to take the necessary action on behalf of a vulnerable loved one.