Nursing Home Neglect, Abuse and Malnutrition

    /24-7PressRelease/ - ORLANDO, FL, May 10, 2008 - The decision to put a loved one in a nursing facility is always a difficult decision. One worries if the senior will be well cared for and treated like family would treat him/her. Knowing that thousands of senior citizens are abused and neglected in our nation's nursing facilities makes this decision even harder.

There are many forms of abuse and neglect taking place across the country, and our elderly are suffering greatly at the hands of people who have been paid to care for them and make their last months or years as comfortable as possible. Perhaps there is nothing more heartbreaking than knowing our seniors are being beaten, raped, and even starved to death each day.

Regardless of age and health, good nutrition is absolutely imperative to maintaining life. When someone is deprived of their necessary nutrients day after day, then illness and death will eventually occur.

Nutrition and Aging
Nutritional well-being is an important component of aging. When the aged are not feed properly many illnesses can occur including:
• Infections
• Confusion
• Muscle weakness
• Pressure ulcers
• Pneumonia
• Lowered immunity

Nursing facilities must assess the nutritional needs of each patient and serve them accordingly. Some patients may not even be able to eat solid foods and must be feed through feeding tubes. Improper measurement of the food and improper care of the feeding tube can lead to disease and death.

Many factors can cause malnutrition in nursing home residents. The following is a list of environment factors that may cause nutrition:
• Inadequate attention from nursing home staff
• Uneducated staff who don't know how to properly feed patients
• Special diets not being properly administered

The following are signs to look for that your elderly loved one may be malnourished:
• Is clothing loose?
• Are there cracks around the mouth?
• Do lips look pale?
• Do dentures no longer fit?
• Do wounds take longer to heal?
• Is the patient confused?
• Is the skin breaking down?
• Do the eyes look sunken?
• Has weight been lost?

If you feel your elderly loved one may be malnourished while living in a nursing facility, there is legal help available. Please contact the experienced nursing home abuse attorneys at Colling Gilbert Wright & Carter in Orlando, Florida today to schedule an initial consultation.

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