Pennsylvania Nursing Home Lawyers
Dehydration and malnutrition are common results of nursing home neglect and can easily become fatal. A slow decline caused by malnutrition, or even a rapid decline caused by dehydration when it coincides with another medical problem, can easily be mistaken for the normal results of aging or disease. Dehydration and malnutrition can actually be the cause of health conditions that they appear to be the result of. If you believe that your loved one is suffering from dehydration or malnutrition in a nursing home, please contact our Pennsylvania nursing home lawyers right away.
Dangers of Dehydration and Malnutrition
Dehydration and malnutrition can be fatal in and of themselves, and they also create increased risks of accidents and illnesses. Dehydration and malnutrition can lead to:
- Pneumonia
- Confusion
- Disorientation
- Weakness
- Falls
- Bed sores and infections
- Lowered immunity
- Poor wound healing
- Urinary tract infections
- Kidney failure
- Failure to thrive and death
Causes of Dehydration and Malnutrition in Nursing Homes
Sometimes dehydration and malnutrition are the result of failing to offer or provide adequate food and water, but there are other factors that can contribute. Nursing homes have a responsibility to monitor patients and recognize the signs and causes of dehydration and malnutrition and take action to prevent these dangerous conditions. The most common cause is understaffing.
Causes of malnutrition can include:
- Loss of appetite
- Dental problems
- Poor fitting dentures
- Tremors
- Swallowing disorder
- Reaction to medication
- Illness
- Depression
- Isolation
- Mental or emotional abuse
- Inappropriate diet
- Being rushed through meals
- Lack of assistance with eating
- Failure to feed patient
- Failure to make snacks available
Causes of dehydration can include:
- Decreased thirst
- Decreased fluid intake
- Increased fluid loss due to illness or medications
- Failure to make fluids readily available to resident with limited or no mobility
If you or a loved one has been the victim of nursing home neglect or abuse in Pennsylvania, please call us today or submit an online questionnaire. The initial consultation with our nursing home lawyers is free, and if we agree to represent you, we will work for a contingent fee, which means we won’t get paid for our services unless you receive a settlement or an award. In Pennsylvania, a personal injury lawsuit must be filed before the expiration of the statute of limitations. Please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.