If you have a loved one in an Akron, Ohio or other area nursing home then you probably did your research to find the best nursing home in the area. Once you selected the nursing home you put your trust in the staff at the facility to take care of your loved one with compassion and excellence. Although nursing homes are regulated by the federal and state government to help ensure that individuals who reside in these facilities receive proper care, issues may still arise.

One of the most common types of nursing home neglect reported in the Akron, Ohio area is bedsores. Bedsores, also known as pressure sores and decubitus ulcers, are areas of the skin that get damaged and break down causing a sore or ulcer. The elderly are especially prone to bedsores because they typically have:

•Thin skin- due to advanced age or impaired nutrition and hydration
•Poor circulation- due to age, vascular disease or underlying diseases such as diabetes
•Limited mobility- and spending long periods of time in one position
•Decreased sensory perception- certain medical conditions predispose people to lessened ability to feel pain and pressure as signals to change positioning
•Incontinence of urine and stool- can quickly lead to skin irritation or breakdown, especially if not tended to and cleansed immediately

These sores typically occur in places where your bones are close to your skin such as:

•Ankles & heels
•Elbows
•Back, sacrum, and tailbone
•Hips & buttocks

If an individual is not turned and repositioned on a regular basis then the pressure can result in a bedsore. The staff at the nursing home is required to turn and reposition residents every few hours to avoid bedsores from forming. However, this does not always happen. If skin hygiene and nutrition are not diligently monitored, risk of pressure sores will increase.

Bedsores are dangerous and they are much more difficult to heal than prevent. Once an individual gets a bedsore then they can become larger or even get infected which can lead to systemic infection or sepsis. Bedsores are classified into stages 1-4 depending on their severity.

If your loved one has developed bedsores in an Akron, Ohio or other area nursing home then contact our nursing home neglect attorney today. James J. Gutbrod, Attorney at Law will schedule a consultation with you as soon as possible.