Bedsores Often the Result of Understaffing, Neglect

When you move a parent into a South Carolina nursing home, you may do so because he or she has become immobile and struggles to get around without help. You may expect that nursing home staff members are going to be able to give your parent the mobility assistance he or she needs to prevent bedsores, but things do not always work out this way.

Bedsores, or pressure ulcers, are common among those who have medical conditions that prevent them from moving around on their own. They most often develop in parts of the body that experience prolonged pressure, and they may take hours or even days to develop.

Bedsore prevention

Bedsores are largely preventable. Nursing home staff members should be able to reduce the risk of bedsores forming by moving or shifting your immobile parent every two hours. Dry skin also increases your parent’s risk of bedsores, so keeping skin moisturized is an important part of prevention. Some physicians also believe that increasing a patient’s protein intake may lower the chances of the development of bedsores.

The understaffing factor

The chances of your elder loved one developing bedsores are higher when the nursing home where he or she lives lacks adequate staff. When there are not enough staff members available to cater to patients, the chances of your parent receiving mobility help every two hours are poor. Even when enough staff members are present, they may neglect to give your parent the help he or she needs, elevating the chances of bedsores.