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In a nursing home, there are several things that can go wrong when the facility is understaffed or when people are just flat out negligent. One of those things can result in your elderly loved one suffering from malnutrition and the effects of the situation.
Malnourishment can be severely harmful—or even fatal. Unfortunately, it’s something that happens when there is poor nutritional training and the staff is completely unaware of how to properly care for the elderly. Family members must recognize the effects of poor nutrition and how malnourishment can occur to protect their loved ones.
How Poor Nutrition Impacts the Elderly
Part of the staff’s responsibility in a nursing home is to ensure the residents are eating and that they have proper nutrition. Failure to do so can have damaging effects on the elderly, including the following:
- Loss of muscle definition
- Imbalances in electrolytes and vitamins
- Cognitive issues and impairment
- Trouble with focus
- Increased risk of infections or bed sores
Unfortunately, malnourishment is more common than most think and it’s important for family members to recognize the duties of the staff and continuously request the care needed.
How Can I Help to Prevent Malnourishment?
Be sure to ask certain questions whenever you are visiting your loved one in the nursing home. You may want to ask the owner if the staff has a proper understanding of recognizing malnourishment and if they know how to help treat it?
Ask the staff how they are monitoring food intake and if they know of your loved one’s dietary needs. Questions can also include, “are you weighing my loved one regularly?” Or, “how can you ensure my loved one is receiving the proper nutrition?”
Keep yourself in the loop and if you notice malnutrition, step forward. You can take action against a nursing home whose negligence has led to significant health problems for your loved one. Our Oregon nursing home abuse lawyers are here to help.
At The Gatti Law Firm, protecting your rights is our top priority and we go the extra mile to guide you and your family through the complex process. At the end of the day, it’s our goal to help you pursue compensation and justice while holding the responsible parties accountable for their harmful actions.