What You Need to Know About Pressure Sores and Nursing Home Abuse
While nursing home negligence can be a silent crime, pressure sores are a highly visible and painful sign of neglect. Nursing home abuse and neglect are serious issues facing elderly loved ones. If your loved one receives pressure sores in their senior care facility, it may be time to seek legal assistance.
Moraitakis & Kushel, L.L.P. in Atlanta, one of the city’s top elder abuse law firms, knows that nursing home abuse and negligence can be difficult to identify. Our team has created a helpful guide to bedsores and nursing home negligence.
What are Pressure Sores?
Pressure sores, also known as bedsores, decubitus ulcers, and pressure ulcers, are skin injuries that result from laying too long in the same position. Without frequent movement, bony areas like the elbows, heels, hips, or tail bone place a large amount of pressure on the skin and can create an injury.
How are Pressure Sores Caused?
Pressure sores are caused by a large amount of continuous pressure to the skin that limits blood flow. When pressure is combined with friction, sores are more likely to develop. Generally, bedsores develop when someone continually sits or lies in the same position.
Who is at Risk for Bedsores?
Seniors who are sedentary or bedridden are more likely to experience pressure sores. When people in hospitals and nursing homes cannot move, they are at higher risk of developing pressure ulcers. Other factors, like skin thinning with age, wheelchair use, and poor health, can contribute to bedsore development.
Are Pressure Sores Dangerous?
Not only are pressure sores painful, they can also lead to serious infections and health complications. It’s important for loved ones with pressure sores to seek medical attention before the pressure sores worsen.
Taking the Next Step with Moraitakis & Kushel
If your loved one experiences pressure sores in their senior care facility, contact the nursing home abuse attorneys at Moraitakis & Kushel, L.L.P. Our team helps families find justice for nursing home abuse and negligence.
Call Moraitakis & Kushel, L.L.P at 404-973-0341 to schedule a consultation with our Atlanta legal team.