Good nutrition is critically important for our overall health and well-being, as is making sure we get enough fluids to keep our bodies hydrated. Maintaining proper nourishment and preventing dehydration can be especially challenging for the elderly, and malnourishment and dehydration can be particularly harmful in older adults. Every year, millions of older Americans live …
If your loved one is living in a nursing home, you should be able to rest easy knowing that they are in good hands. However, this is not always the case. One common failure of nursing homes is a lack of supervision. Elderly adults can have specific medical needs and health conditions that require the …
The effects of malnourishment include a loss of mobility, an increased risk of falling, a weakened immune system, delays in healing, organ damage, and cognitive decline. People who live in nursing homes are often in poor health. Malnourishment can worsen their conditions and may lead to life-threatening complications. How Malnutrition Can Affect Overall Health Malnourishment …
If a loved one cannot safely live at home due to physical or cognitive disabilities, your family may have to make the tough decision to transfer them to a nursing home. In doing so, you expect your loved one to receive the medical care and personal support they need to live comfortably and healthily. Sadly, …
Adult Protective Services (APS) consists of social services designed to protect and serve the elderly and significantly disabled adults. State or local governments typically manage APS entities. One of Adult Protective Services’ primary functions is to help nursing home victims by preventing or stopping abuse and neglect. Nursing Home Abuse Facts The United States Census …
If an individual is disabled or elderly and cannot care for themselves, they, along with their family, may have to make the difficult decision to relocate to a nursing home or extended care facility. Residents and their families generally expect to receive a high level of care and support at these facilities. They reasonably assume …
The emotional abuse of someone in a nursing home or under the care of a caretaker can take many forms. Emotional abuse does not leave the same bodily signs as physical or sexual abuse, but its effects can be just as detrimental to someone’s overall health. The discrepancy in power between nursing home residents and …
Your body wants to protect you from infections as best as it can. If a wound grows too large or lasts for too long, your body can turn against you. Sepsis affects parties in all demographics, but it commonly impacts elderly nursing home residents, according to a news report by Kaiser Health News and the …
As we get older, the loss of muscle mass and strength are a natural part of the aging process. All muscles in the body become weaker, including the ones we use for chewing and swallowing food. Difficulty swallowing food is the number one cause of choking deaths in nursing homes. According to Injury Facts 2017, …
According to MedlinePlus, septic shock results when an infection that has spread through the whole body lowers your blood pressure to a dangerous level. Sepsis and septic shock are both largely preventable illnesses. If your loved one suffered from septic shock in a nursing home, it might be because of neglect or abuse from nursing …
According to a study in Elder Mistreatment: Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation in an Aging America, intimidation in nursing homes is a type of elder abuse. If a nursing home staff member is intimidating your senior loved one, it might be seriously detrimental to their care and mental health. It can also indicate more severe problems …
Financial exploitation of the elderly may be the most common form of elder abuse, according to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Financial exploitation, also called financial abuse, is the fraudulent, illegal, improper, or unauthorized use of an individual’s assets, such as money, benefits, or property, for personal financial gain. According to Elder Mistreatment: …
You might not think your senior loved one could become addicted to medication, illegal drugs, or alcohol while living in a nursing home. Unfortunately, substance abuse in nursing homes is a real possibility that hurts seniors and their families. Even misusing prescription drugs can result in several health issues such as heart attacks, kidney and …
When you decide to place your elderly loved one in the care of a nursing home, you trust that the facility’s staff will care for them and treat them with respect. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. According to the National Research Council’s report on elder mistreatment, 2.5 million people in nursing homes and …
Sepsis is a serious medical condition that can be caused by any type of bacterial, viral, or fungal infection. Sepsis is triggered by the body’s response to an infection. When your body is fighting an infection, it normally releases chemicals into the bloodstream. Sepsis occurs when the body’s response to these chemicals is out of …
Patients in nursing homes are often entirely dependent on care staff to maintain their health and provide for their needs, even simple needs like drinking enough water. One common result of the failure to receive proper care in a nursing home is dehydration, and severe dehydration can lead to death. The National Center on Elder …
An unclean premise does not only create a problem with appearance but also leads to poor hygiene. Nursing homes have an obligation to meet their residents’ basic needs and maintain sanitary premises for their safety. According to Aging Health, infections in nursing homes can lead to elderly residents experiencing medical complications, sometimes so severe that …
We all want the best for our loved ones, so when we choose a nursing home, we want to know that our parent, spouse, or other family members will receive the highest degree of care. There are about 15,600 licensed nursing homes in the United States, so how can you be sure you have selected …
When the time comes for your loved ones to receive a higher level of care than what you can provide, a skilled nursing facility could become their second home. Also known as a nursing home, this type of facility allows a resident to enjoy various activities that enrich their quality of life while offering round-the-clock …
Elderly residents of nursing homes, especially those who suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, can become confused from time to time. They may forget where they are in the moment and begin to leave the premises, looking for familiar surroundings. They may become disoriented and forget their original reason for leaving their room, such as …
