The decision to relocate a loved one to a nursing home in Albuquerque is no doubt a difficult one. You may be willing to see to your family member or friend’s every need, yet oftentimes, their conditions may require a level of attention that the circumstances of your own life simply do not allow you to give. This may be especially true if your loved one has mobility issues. You might think that caring for one confined to a bed or wheelchair would be easy, yet as many of those that we here at the Harvey & Foote Law Firm have discovered, such confinement presents its own unique challenges.
One of those is the potential to develop bedsores. Such injuries (also referred to as “pressure ulcers”) develop due to continued pressure being placed on a certain area of the body. Over time, that pressure limits blood flow to that area, which can lead to tissue degeneration and death. Bedsores manifest themselves as areas if increased swelling, and later progress to open wounds from which pus and even blood can begin to drain from. According to the Mayo Clinic, if left untreated, they can open the door to further health complications such as:
- Infection
- Cellulitis
- Sepsis
Those with mobility issues are at an increased risk to develop bedsores. Thus, part of your expectation when you commit your loved one to the care of nursing home staff is that they do everything needed to avoid such injuries. This includes repositioning your loved one in their wheelchair or on their bed frequently to avoid continued pressure on any particular area of their body. The development of bedsore could be seen as a certain sign of neglect.
You can learn more about the signs of nursing home neglect by continuing to explore our site.
