Two residents at the Elmwood Terrace Healthcare Center in Aurora, Illinois have developed multiple bed sores while residing at the facility.
Bed sores, also known as pressure ulcers, are some of the most dangerous injuries that can happen in a nursing home. They are skin wounds, or lesions, that can cause pain, debility, and even death.
They form under conditions that are synonymous with nursing home neglect. Bed sores develop when nursing home residents are not frequently repositioned or adjusted. The constant pressure on a specific part of the body can cause great damage even over a short period of time.
Additional hallmarks of nursing home neglect that contribute to the development of bed sores are damp and unsanitary conditions. Poor toileting by nursing home staff can result in exactly the kind of environment that contributes to bed sores.
Finally, poor nutrition and hydration are known contributors to the development of bed sores. Often residents take time and effort to eat their meals and unfortunately there may not be enough staff to assist such residents to ensure their nutritional needs are met.
The first resident was admitted to the facility without bed sores. Over the course of the next year, she developed three separate bed sores; a bed sore developed on each heel and another developed on her tailbone.
The second resident also developed bed sores while a resident at Elmwood Terrace Healthcare Center. During the nursing home inspection, the physician’s orders for bed sore treatment were not being implemented.
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Other blog posts of interest:
Staff fails to discover bed sores at Sunny Hill in Joliet
Surgical bed sore at Regency Rehab