Nursing home neglect is sometimes hard to notice or pinpoint. This is especially true if the neglect does not actually have any physical indicators.
However, some of the physical indicators might additionally be mistaken for something else. This is the potential reason why bedsores could point to neglect, rather than just happenstance.
What are bedsores?
Johns Hopkins Medicine takes a look at bedsores in nursing homes. First of all, what are bedsores? These injuries, also called pressure ulcers, form because of prolonged pressure to one single point of contact. They typically form along the joints, spine, posterior, and the back of the feet. Essentially, any point of the body that maintains contact with a bed or chair could suffer from a pressure ulcer.
These painful injuries happen due to a lack of movement and blood circulation. Because of the risk of them occurring, a patient who cannot move on their own should get moved by nursing staff at least once every two to three hours, preferably two.
An indication of neglect
Thus, bedsores on a victim could indicate that they are not getting turned as often as they should. This could potentially point to neglect in an overworked system, or simply poor staff maintenance of the people in their care.
Of course, bedsores can sometimes form even with the best of attention. This is why bedsores are often just red flags and not an overt piece of evidence that someone is suffering from neglect. However, if a loved one suffers from bedsores, especially if this is a recurring problem or the bedsores are severe, it could warrant further examination.
