There is a huge misconception that nursing homes pertain only to the elder population, but surprisingly, only 85% of the residents in long-term care facilities are over the age of 65. Nursing homes also house individuals that are rehabilitation or have a disability like cerebral palsy. 15% of the residents are composed of younger individuals. As the baby boomer generation ages, elder people will be in need of these long-term care facilities. With this high demand, this means that nursing homes will require more employees, which is a requirement that they do not always fulfill.
Malnutrition occurs when a person is not properly fed and does not receive all the appropriate vitamins and minerals that their body’s need to function. Malnutrition can cause severe injuries to the human body and even death. Every human being requires to be well fed, especially an elder person because their health state may already be weak. When an elder person suffers injuries because of malnutrition within the long-term care facility, the nursing home can be found negligent and even abusive. The Miami firm of neglect and abuse cannot begin to understand how someone can be so cruel as to not fulfill a basic human need such as eating adequate food.
Malnutrition may be caused by pure neglect or in an abusive manner. A nursing staff member might forget to feed a resident because they have so many residents to care for on their own or they might purposely restrict the elder person from eating to punish them. Regardless of the reason, a resident that is malnourished should not be happening within an Old Folks’ Home. The nursing home has a duty to each and every one of their residents and that is to provide the care that they need.
Signs of Malnutrition in Old Folks’ Homes
Malnutrition may display itself in various forms. An elder person will typically display these following symptoms when they are not having proper nutrition:
- Canker sores
- Yeast infection on tongue or cheeks
- Mouth being a bright shade of red
- Flaccid muscles
- Diminished vision
- Swollen Corneas
- Glassy eyes
- Red eyes
- Unable to think clearly
- Skin turning yellowish
- Skin under fingernails turning white
Although many of these signs can indicate another issue and not necessarily malnutrition, it is always better to investigate the signs that the elder person is displaying before making any assumptions.
Malnutrition a Great Concern for Elder Residents
How can a nursing home staff member forget to feed residents? Sadly, many nursing home facilities are understaffed, making one worker tasked with the work of three. Everyone is human and even medical professionals make mistakes. The Miami nursing home abuse lawyers believes it is cruel and inhumane to not be feeding someone who cannot care for themselves just because the nursing home did not want to hire extra employees. The firm will proudly represent the victims who were neglected and abused.