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Ohio Nursing Home Abuse - Dehydration and Malnutrition
Dehydration and Malnutrition: The Hidden Killers
Your loved one is under the care of a nursing home, which must provide adequate food and liquids. But that is not always the case.
Between 1999 and 2002, malnutrition and dehydration killed at least 13,890 nursing home patients nationwide and contributed to the deaths of about 68,000 others.
Nursing homes have a responsibility to provide adequate hydration to their residents, and to provide the proper training to their employees to recognize the signs and symptoms of dehydration.
Most of the time, these incidents take place simply from the fact that the nursing home staff do not even pay the most basic attention to their patients.
Your loved ones may be at risk for dehydration and malnutrition, and may even be experiencing symptoms of these conditions, and you may not even know it.
Residents with Alzheimer's or dementia, incontinent residents, and residents suffering from colds or the flu are especially at an increased risk for dehydration.
Patients suffering from dementia may not get thirsty, and are usually unaware that they are dehydrated. They cannot help themselves and, too often, the nursing homes simply do not care enough to pay attention.
Early Warning Signs of Dehydration and Malnutrition
As a result of nursing home neglect, dehydration and malnutrition are often found together.
Signs of dehydration and malnutrition are: sudden weight loss; confusion and disorientation; sores in the mouth and cracks around the lips; dry skin; sunken eyes; dry mucus membranes; fever and thirst.
Health problems and Injuries which may result from malnutrition or dehydration include:
- Loss of muscle mass
- Anemia
- Confusion and disorientation
- Urinary tract infections
- Pneumonia
- Anemia
Causes of dehydration in nursing home residents include:
- Increased fluid losses due to illness (e.g., diarrhea, infections, fever)
- Side effects of medications (e.g., diuretics)
- Decreased fluid intake
- Decreased ability of the kidney to concentrate urine
- Decreased thirst sensation
If your loved ones have experienced any of these symptoms, it is also likely that they are being neglected in other ways.
Please contact us so that we may begin to assess your loved one’s situation, and to make sure that the nursing home is providing proper care for your family. We over free consultations by calling us at 1-800-297-9191 or a free case evaluation by sending us a confidential Website Message.
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