A new study in the online journal PLOS ONE makes the claim that elderly people have a scientific propensity towards acquiring bed sores.
In brief, the study found that young skin has proteins that make it more resilient to damage caused by pressure. As people get older, they develop less and less of the specific protein, making it more likely to sustain the kind of damage that leads to bed sores.
Bed sores are caused by neglectful behavior. Bed sores, also known as pressure ulcers, are primarily caused by three conditions. First, constant pressure. When people who are unable to move are forced to remain in one spot (bed or chair) for long periods of time, pressure builds up on the areas that are in contact with the chair.
The second factor in the development of bed sores involves damp conditions. Nursing home residents who are the victims of nursing home neglect are often left for hours in the same spot. Naturally, they aren’t being properly cleaned and provided with toileting.
The third important cause of bed sores is dehydration and malnutrition. Nursing homes are obligated to keep careful track of the amount of fluid and food that every resident eats and drinks. They should know when a resident is at risk for becoming dehydrated.
This study worries me because nursing homes may claim that bed sores are simply part of getting old. But bed sores can be prevented with quality nursing home care. There are many nursing homes where bed sores never or rarely develop. There are other nursing homes where they develop frequently.
If you have a loved one who has developed a bed sore in an Illinois nursing home, contact my law offices for a free and confidential evaluation of your case. At my law offices we have the expertise to manage every aspect of your Chicago bed sore lawsuit, and we would welcome the opportunity to speak to you.