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Nursing Home Neglect/Abuse
Bed Sores (link to Bed Sores section in Injuries section?)
Bed sores, also known as pressure sores or pressure ulcers, are a common sign of nursing home neglect. This is because those who are elderly, injured and ill are often forced to rely on nursing home staff for repositioning because they cannot easily move on their own.

Statistics

- According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least one out of 10 nursing home residents suffer from a pressure ulcer, or bed sore.
- Long-term residents are usually more likely to have pressure ulcers than those who have been in nursing homes for less than a year.
- Residents under the age of 64 years were more likely than …show more content…
Causes of Bed Sores

Bed sores occur when injuries to the skin and underlying tissues result from prolonged pressure on the skin. Bed sores commonly afflict people who are confined to bed, wheelchair users and those who suffer from medical conditions that impede their ability to change positions.

People who are in poor health or who are weak, paralyzed, recovering after surgery, in a coma, or sedated are also at an increased risk for bed sores.

Bed sores most commonly develop over bony areas of the body, such as the heels, ankles, hips, and tailbone. They are caused by pressure against the skin, which limits blood flow to the skin and nearby tissues. Limited mobility makes the skin vulnerable to damage, as does age, since the skin becomes thinner, more fragile, elastic, and drier with time.

For wheelchair users, bed sores commonly occur on areas of the body that press against the wheelchair, like the tailbone, buttocks, shoulder blades, spine, and the backs of arms and legs.

For those who are confined to bed rest, bed sores are more common on the head, the rims of the ears, shoulders and shoulder blades, hips, lower back, tailbone, heels, ankles and the skin behind the …show more content…
Some of these include: - Cellulitis, an inflammation of the skin and connective tissues, can occur in those with bedsores. Cellulitis can lead to meningitis, a serious condition that affects the fluid surrounding the spinal cord and brain. - Bone and joint infections can occur when an infection from a pressure sore burrows into the joints and bones. Also known as septic arthritis, these infections can damage cartilage and tissue and severely reduce the function of joints and limbs. - Cancer can develop from chronic pressure sores, which can develop into squamous cell carcinoma, destructive cancer that usually requires surgery. - Sepsis, a bacterial infection of the bloodstream or body tissues, can occur when bacteria enters the victim’s bloodstream via the open bedsores. While this is a rare side effect of bedsores, it can spread quickly throughout the body and result in life-threatening organ failure or other serious issues.

Types of Bed Sores

There are four major classifications of bed sores, ranging from least severe
(Stage 1) to most severe (Stage 4):

Stage 1: A persistent area of skin redness (without a break in the skin)