When people get older, they are at higher risk for a range of different medical issues. Older adults are more likely to fall than younger people, and they are more likely to suffer a serious fracture when they fall because of reduced bone density and muscle mass. Older adults are often more vulnerable to infectious diseases.
If someone has mobility limitations because of health or age-related issues, they may spend most of their time in bed or in a comfortable chair. People living in nursing homes with limited mobility are at serious risk of developing bedsores. Why are bedsores or pressure ulcers such a concern for older adults?
Bedsores can lead to numerous medical issues
Like many wounds, bedsores range in severity from painful but topical inflammation to deep, open wounds that affect someone’s musculature and connective tissue. A bedsore can have implications for someone’s daily life, as they may have even more limitations on what they do. The pain that they experience may diminish their quality of life and impact their mood or ability to sleep.
If the bedsores don’t receive proper treatment and preventative care so that they don’t worsen, they might lead to nerve damage or severe infections. In a worst-case scenario, an infection caused by an untreated or worsening bedsore might eventually claim someone’s life.
Nursing home staff should watch for signs of bed stores, proactively try to prevent them and aggressively treat them when they occur. Identifying untreated bedsores as a form of nursing home negligence can help you be a better advocate for your aging loved one.
