Placing your loved one in a nursing home is an incredibly difficult decision. No matter how much you do for them and how much you love them, it is sometimes just not enough. There may come a point in time where opting for professional care is the best thing you could do for both you and your loved one. Regardless of how they feel about it, it is important to remember that you are doing the right thing.
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It Is Normal To Feel Uncertain About Placing Your Loved One In A Nursing Home
No matter how much research you have done trying to find the best possible nursing home, you may feel uncertain about leaving your loved one in the care of someone else. Unfortunately, there are many instances in any nursing home where your loved one can become injured due to either negligence, freak accidents, or honest mistakes. However, understanding the most common injuries in nursing homes can help you be better prepared if something were to happen.
So whether you have a loved one in assisted living or are thinking about placing a family member in a nursing home, here are the most common nursing home injuries to be aware of.
Bedsores
One of the most common nursing home injuries are bedsores which are also known as pressure ulcers. According to the CDC, one in every ten nursing home residents will develop a form of bedsores. Unfortunately, bedsores are a direct form of neglect and abuse. Since most nursing home residents have mobility issues, they spend most of their time in bed. If their caregivers do not help them stay active or provide the medical attention they require, they are at a high risk of developing bedsores.
Bed Rail Injuries
As stated above, most residents in nursing home settings suffer from mobility issues. Therefore seniors are at high risk of slipping and falling, which is why most beds have bed rails to keep them from falling when sleeping or getting out of bed. However, if not properly maintained, these bed rails could malfunction and put residents in danger. Some of the most common nursing home injuries due to bed rail malfunctions include suffocation, broken limbs, and cardiac arrest.
Slips And Falls
As stated above, due to mobility issues, seniors are prone to slipping and falling. While most nursing homes have handrails and special nonslip flooring, accidents can still happen. In addition, due to weak bones, falling is much more dangerous for an elderly person. Depending on the severity of the fall, elderly people can suffer from broken bones, concussions, pulled muscles, and spinal injuries.
Wandering Injuries
Many nursing home residents suffer from dementia and Alzheimers, making it hard for them to go about their daily routine on their own. If left unguarded, residents could accidentally wander out of the nursing home and risk falling, getting lost, or even getting hit by a car.
Infections
It is no secret that elderly people have weak immune systems making them prone to disease and infection. As we saw with the rapid spread of the coronavirus in assisted care facilities, nursing homes are susceptible to the spread of disease due to weak immune systems and confined spaces. If residents are not properly taken care of and quarantined when they are sick, the disease can run rampant in a nursing home setting. Some of the most common illnesses that go around nursing homes are skin infections, pneumonia, influenza, and common colds.
Medication Mistakes
Unfortunately, due to negligence and incompetence, many residents could accidentally receive the wrong medication and become severely ill. At the same time, if the dosage is not correctly, documented residents can overdose, leading to fatal consequences.
Need Legal Advice?
If your loved one has suffered any harm due to negligence in a nursing home you could be entitled to a lawsuit. Consider reaching out to an experienced professional to get the help you need.
Understanding Common Nursing Home Injuries
Understanding the most common nursing home injuries will help you prevent any harm to your loved one by finding a nursing home with the safety precautions you are looking for.
