When Can Nursing Home Neglect Lead to Malnutrition and Dehydration?
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities provide essential care for many elderly and disabled individuals. When a person resides at a nursing home, this can provide their loved ones with the assurance that their needs are being met. Unfortunately, there are far too many nursing homes throughout the United States that provide substandard care to patients. Nursing home neglect is an issue that can threaten the health and well-being of patients. If a facility’s staff members do not provide the proper care and supervision, residents may experience serious health problems, including malnutrition and dehydration.
Symptoms and Effects of Dehydration and Malnutrition
Many nursing homes struggle with staff shortages. When a facility is unable to maintain adequate staffing levels, or if it has not provided staff members with the proper training, employees may be unable to fully monitor patients’ needs and provide the necessary care. This can lead to malnutrition, in which patients do not eat enough to provide their bodies with the necessary calories or the vitamins and nutrients that will allow them to maintain the proper health. Dehydration may occur if a person does not drink enough water or receive liquids through other sources that will ensure that their bodily systems can function correctly.
A person who suffers from malnutrition may experience symptoms such as weight loss, muscle weakness, fatigue, dry skin, difficulties with concentration, memory loss, depression, anxiety, irritability, and delayed healing of wounds. Without the proper nutrients, bodily systems may cease certain functions, which may lead to additional health issues. Continuing malnutrition may even lead to a person’s wrongful death.
Elderly people are at a higher risk of dehydration due to a variety of factors. Because they may have less water reserves in the body and decreased kidney functions, and since they may use medications that can lead to increased water loss, nursing home residents will need to drink water regularly. Symptoms of dehydration may include fatigue, muscle cramps, dry mouth, increased heart rate, dizziness, confusion, and difficulty with walking or mobility. Continued dehydration can lead to multiple health issues, including kidney stones, urinary tract infections, seizures, heat exhaustion, and low blood pressure. For elderly people, these issues can be life-threatening, or they could lead to disabilities or health concerns that will affect a person throughout the rest of their life.
Contact Our Grand Rapids Nursing Home Malnutrition and Dehydration Attorney
If your loved one has experienced malnutrition or dehydration while residing in a nursing home, you will want to determine whether this occurred because of neglect or other forms of negligence by a nursing home. At John D. Tallman, PLC, Attorney at Law, we can help you understand your options in these cases, and we will help you hold a nursing home responsible for the harm done to your loved one and your family. Contact our Kent County nursing home neglect lawyer at 616-361-8850 to set up a free consultation.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/malnutrition
https://www.healthline.com/health/symptoms-of-dehydration-in-elderly
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25394167/
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