One of the most common signs of nursing home neglect in Maryland is bedsores. Unfortunately, these are not always easy to spot. The painful, unsightly sores can occur without you ever knowing they are there, even if your loved one is silently suffering.
According to Mayo Clinic, your loved one is more likely to develop bedsores if he or she has health problems that affect the flow of blood, such as vascular disease or diabetes. Dehydration and poor nutrition can also increase the risk of bedsores. Even if there are no signs of these conditions, an immobile patient, especially one with limited sensory perception, is much more likely to develop bedsores than one who is frequently moving around.
Sometimes the location of the bedsores can make them hard to find since clothes are often covering the area. The affected areas will be different depending on the type of immobility your loved one is experiencing. If he or she is confined to a bed, lesions can develop on the shoulder blades, lower back, hip, back of the head, ankles or heels. If he or she is in a wheelchair, the spine, shoulder blades, buttocks, tailbone, and backs of legs and arms are more susceptible.
Bedsores are more than just an irritating skin condition; they can also lead to serious or even fatal complications. Wounds that do not heal for a long time can turn into cancer, while infection can become so overgrown that sepsis can occur. Cellulitis is also common, as are bone and joint infections. This information is intended for your education and should not be taken as legal advice.