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What Causes Bedsores in Nursing Homes?


What causes bedsores in nursing homes?

Montgomery Bedsores Lawyers

Bedsores often develop in nursing home residents due to neglect. These injuries are common and are a result of a resident remaining in the same position for long periods of time. This generally occurs in residents confined to wheelchairs or their beds. Bedsores are also referred to as pressure ulcers, pressure sores, and pressure injuries. Without proper treatment, these sores can become infected and lead to serious medical problems for these elderly adults.


If your loved one has developed bedsores in a nursing home or other elder-care facility, contact Montgomery bedsores lawyer J.P. Sawyer, at (334) 539-0604 for a free consultation about your case. We accept calls from all over the U.S. for nursing home cases.


Our mission is to fight for your loved one’s right to proper care and treatment when confined to these facilities. We devote a large portion of our practice to nursing home abuse and neglect, and we put personalized service, compassion for clients, and more than 25 years of legal experience in this field on your side in seeking remedies for neglected residents and their families.


What are bedsores?

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, bedsores commonly occur in individuals who are “immobile, unconscious, or unable to sense pain.”


Where do bedsores occur?

These sores occur on areas of the skin that are in pressure contact with the bed or wheelchair, such as on the heels, butt, shoulders, back of the head, knees, and elbows. If the individual is not turned or re-positioned on a regular basis, given adequate nutrition, and skin care, these injuries can develop. In the worst cases, they can lead to infection and even sepsis, which is a life-threatening condition that can result in organ failure and even death.


Bedsores can also extend deeply under the skin, into muscle and bone. They often heal only slowly. In some cases, depending on whether the person has a disease, the healing process can take days, months, or years.


Are bedsores painful?

When bedsores become infected, they can cause fever, chills, overall weakness, and mental confusion.


Are bedsores preventable?

To prevent bedsores, staff in nursing homes need to pay attention to the skin areas most affected by immobility, provide the person with healthy food, and keep the skin clean and dry. The individuals most prone to bedsores should also be given some type of movement or exercise, if possible, to keep their blood flowing.

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