Dehydration

What Are the Symptoms of Dehydration in an Elderly Person?

Symptoms of dehydration in an elderly person include thirst, dry skin, loss of appetite, skin flushing (red face), dark-colored urine, fatigue, weakness, dry mouth, chills, dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness. Some of the more severe symptoms of dehydration include difficulty breathing, seizures, and vomiting.

Severe symptoms of dehydration are a potentially life-threatening condition and a nursing home resident who exhibits these symptoms should obtain emergency medical treatment.

Negligence Leading to Dehydration in Elderly

When anyone does not drink enough water, they may become dehydrated. Dehydration is a condition defined as a substantial loss of body fluid. Dehydration may happen due to an illness, a medical condition, a medication side effect, or simply a decrease in fluid intake. Elderly nursing home residents are at a greater risk for dehydration, as many take medications that may cause dehydration or suffer from an inability to concentrate urine from the kidneys.

Unfortunately, most incidents of dehydration in the elderly at nursing homes occur from simple neglect. Staff members may simply forget or refuse to provide elderly residents with enough water, or may fail to monitor the residents’ intake of water. Residents of nursing homes are typically unable to get up and get their own water and rely on the staff to provide them with water. Additionally, because some residents have memory loss, dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease, they may not remember that they need to drink water or remember that they were not given water by staff members.

Causes of Dehydration in Nursing Homes

Nursing homes have a responsibility to their residents to provide water and other medically necessary liquids on a timely basis. Workers should receive training to spot when residents need water or are at risk for dehydration. Some examples of nursing home negligence which can lead to dehydration include the following:

• Failure to provide water and ensure that consumption of water occurs regularly by the residents
• Failure to provide appropriate staff to provide resident’s requests for water
• Failure to train the staff to recognize symptoms of dehydration
• Failure to monitor residents who may struggle with swallowing
• Failure to remain vigilant and notice any signs or symptoms of dehydration
• Failure to properly monitor medications which may cause dehydration
• Failure to recommend fluids during, before, and after mealtimes
• Failure to notify a doctor if a staff member notices a resident’s dehydration symptoms
• Failure to monitor and measure a resident’s water consumption

Many elderly residents simply do not remember to drink water, do not feel thirsty, or cannot obtain water for themselves. The responsibility rests completely with the nursing home staff to ensure that their residents do not become dehydrated.

Dehydration Effects

Severe consequences occur when elderly residents of a nursing home are dehydrated. Some serious risks of dehydration can include worsened dementia, bedsores, pneumonia, weakened immune systems, ulcers, electrolyte imbalances, and a higher risk of infections. The most catastrophic consequence of dehydration is the development of a medical condition that can lead to death. If you suspect that your elderly loved one suffers from dehydration, visit with the nursing home staff immediately.

What to Do If Your Loved One Suffered Injuries or Death Due to Dehydration

Unfortunately, the signs and symptoms of dehydration in an elderly person are sometimes subtle, and if dehydration is not caught quickly enough, it can directly cause injuries or even death. Some of the symptoms of dehydration could be minor and build slowly over time or appear as other medical causes or conditions.

It is important to note if your elderly loved one shows any signs of dehydration at all. Your loved one may not be able to remember how much water intake they have had recently. If your elderly loved one suffers from memory loss, dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease it may be difficult for them to explain, understand, or remember that they were not provided with adequate water. It is always better to err on the side of caution and investigate the amount of water your loved one consumed. The nursing home staff should be able to provide this information to you.

However, once you begin asking questions regarding the health of your loved one, you may find that the nursing home becomes uncooperative. Nursing homes tend to deny responsibility, attempt to hide facts, or remove the liability from themselves.

If your loved one suffered from dehydration in any way, or you suspect that they died due to dehydration, it is important to obtain an autopsy report that may confirm your suspicions.

Failure to Provide Water

The human body is a complex machine that requires many nutrients to maintain proper function. Without water, the many systems, organs, and individual cells of the body would cease to operate effectively.

We acquire water through foods and beverages on a daily basis. Additionally, those who depend on caregivers or other people with their daily needs may also rely on them for their water intake. The failure to provide water to those who rely on help with hydration can be catastrophic and increase the risk of dehydration.

The Dangers of Dehydration

Dehydration is defined as the loss of fluid in the body. In order to prevent dehydration, your intake of fluids should match or exceed your loss of fluid. Height, weight, age, diet, medications, and activity level can all affect hydration needs. If you are active and losing fluids due to sweat, for example, you may need to drink more water than if you were sedentary.

Dehydration can be both acute or chronic and can be minor or severe. If you are feeling thirsty, for example, you could be dehydrated, but not in any immediate medical danger. More serious forms of dehydration can result in organ failure, permanent damage, and could even be life-threatening. Because every cell, organ, and physiological system in your body needs water, dehydration can affect every aspect of your physical and mental health.

Causes of Dehydration

According to Mayo Clinic, some frequent causes of dehydration include but are not limited to:

• Lack of access to food, water, or other sources of hydration
• Diarrhea or vomiting causes fluids to be expelled at an accelerated rate
• Over-exertion or excessive exercise
• Lack of appropriate fluid intake
• Side effects of medications
• Illness or medical conditions
• Hot weather

There are many reasons, in addition to the aforementioned, that dehydration can occur. Understanding the symptoms can help you stay hydrated and avoid the potentially negative health effects of dehydration.

Symptoms

If you are exhibiting any symptoms of dehydration, you should monitor the situation in case medical assistance is needed. While many cases of dehydration are minor and can be treated with the consumption of fluids, more serious conditions can arise if you do not take action. According to Mayo Clinic, symptoms of dehydration include:

• Feeling thirsty
• Dry skin or discoloration
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating or a decrease in mental function
• Urinating less frequently than usual
• Lack of sweat during physical activity
• Dizziness
• Dark or discolored urine
• Rapid heartbeat

According to Mayo Clinic, elderly adults especially need to be hydrated because they naturally have a lower water volume in their body, and the medications they take may make them more dehydrated. In these cases, it is essential that caregivers and guardians take note of any symptoms and act accordingly. Caregivers and guardians may also be responsible for providing the water and food necessary for proper hydration. Failure to provide water can be very dangerous for an independent individual.

Risk Factors

While everyone is potentially at risk for dehydration, there are risk factors that may increase the likelihood of dehydration. Some older adults, for example, depend on caregivers for their daily needs, health, and well-being. This can increase the chances of dehydration because another party is responsible for monitoring water and fluid intake.

There are additionally health conditions that affect hydration, such as diabetes, kidney diseases, and other ailments. Medications and diet can also change the way the body absorbs and dispels water, sometimes putting a person at a higher risk. It is up to each person, or their caregivers, to understand their specific risks.

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Some older adults or those dependent on others choose to live in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. This can be a great option as these facilities’ staff are trained to provide specialized health services around the clock.

Unfortunately, sometimes abuse and neglect occur. This can affect hydration if negligence or abuse results in a failure to provide water. The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 is a federal law requiring assisted living facilities to provide a certain standard of care for their residents. Negligence and abuse, such as allowing a resident to suffer injuries from dehydration, is in direct violation of this law and could be grounds for legal action against responsible parties.

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Failure to Train the Staff to Recognize Symptoms of Dehydration

Without proper training, the nursing home staff cannot perform their job to care, supervise, and protect the elderly residents of their facilities. Nursing homes remain woefully understaffed, and many do not follow the requirements of staffing established under the federal Nursing Home Reform Act.

However, if the nursing home has proper staffing, but the staff does not have proper training, residents may suffer serious injuries or fatalities as a result of their negligence or abuse. One of the main causes of serious concern of elderly residents in nursing homes relates to dehydration. Without proper hydration, elderly seniors can suffer medical complications or even death.

If your loved one suffered injuries as a result of the nursing home’s failure to train the staff to recognize symptoms of dehydration, learn more about your legal rights.

Failure to Train the Nursing Home Staff Appropriately

Nursing homes have serious challenges regarding staffing throughout the United States. Many facilities have astronomically high turnover rates in the staff, due to the overworking of employees.

In many cases, nursing home staff members simply crack under the pressure of the long hours and stressful environment and either leave their employment or fail to appropriately take care of residents in the nursing home. In worst-case scenarios, nursing home staff members will abuse residents out of exhaustion, frustration, and lack of training regarding how to handle stressful or life-threatening situations.

Nursing homes have a responsibility and a legal obligation to appropriately train their staff to properly care, monitor, and supervise all residents in their facility. They have an obligation to ensure that all residents receive proper medication in a timely manner, repositioning if they are bedridden, assistance with daily tasks if necessary, and ensure that every resident receives proper nutrition and hydration. Without proper training, these nursing home staff members simply do not have enough guidance or education to properly identify serious medical conditions or injuries.

Failure to Train the Staff Results in the Failure to Recognize Symptoms of Dehydration

Nursing homes have a duty and responsibility to properly train their staff to take care of residents’ needs and requests.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, hydration is a fundamental requirement of all people, especially the elderly, and dehydration is an overlooked medical condition in the senior population.

Without proper training, nursing home staff employees simply have no education or guidance regarding how to ensure the safety of elderly residents. Elderly seniors require water for hydration purposes, especially due to their frailty and overall weakened health.

Water and hydration provide a foundation for the rest of their health. Without proper hydration, nursing home residents may suffer serious medical conditions or even death. The failure to train the nursing home staff regarding proper hydration can result in their failure to recognize the symptoms of dehydration, which can include the following, according to Mayo Clinic:

• Thirst
• Loss of appetite
• Skin flushing
• Dry skin
• Parched or cracked lips
• Difficulty speaking
• Dark-colored urine
• Weakness
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Dry mouth
• Faintness
• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Difficulty breathing
• Vomiting
• Seizures

Any sign or symptom of dehydration should receive immediate attention by a nursing home staff member, and in some cases, a physician should receive notification in order to ensure that the resident receives proper medical care.

Consequences of Failing to Recognize Symptoms of Dehydration in the Elderly

If a nursing home facility fails to train the staff to recognize symptoms of dehydration, the resident may develop an overall weakened immune system, additional health challenges, bedsores, worsened dementia or neurocognitive function, electrolyte imbalances, ulcers, or additional infections, such as urinary tract infections.

The most serious consequence of dehydration in an elderly person is death. It is critical if you ever notice that your loved one in a nursing home exhibits any of the above symptoms that you take them for an immediate medical evaluation as soon as possible.

Additionally, make sure to visit with the management of the nursing home staff to have your concerns addressed regarding your loved one. If you feel that you do not receive the answers you deserve, you have the legal right to contact Adult Protective Services, and if necessary, contact law enforcement.

Failure to Remain Vigilant and Notice Any Signs or Symptoms of Dehydration

Many families decide to place their elderly loved one in a nursing home. For most, the decision comes as an attempt to ensure that their senior family member receives the proper care, attention, and protection they deserve.

Nursing home facilities are uniquely qualified to care for elderly residents as they are always required under the Nursing Home Reform Act to have proper staffing, including a registered nurse, and other appropriate medical assistance available at all times. While the nursing home staff must handle all emergency medical issues related to elderly residents, they also have the legal and ethical responsibility to identify medical issues, such as dehydration.

If your loved one suffered as a result of the nursing home staff’s failure to remain vigilant and notice any signs or symptoms of dehydration, learn more about your legal rights below.

Reasons Nursing Home Staff Employees Fail to Remain Vigilant

Unfortunately, it is common knowledge that nursing homes throughout the United States suffer from challenges with respect to overworking and understaffing. In other cases, nursing homes hire untrained or inexperienced workers.

All of these scenarios cause the workforce of a nursing home to remain stressed, overworked, exhausted, and poorly equipped to handle the complex challenges of providing constant care, protection, and vigilance for their elderly residents. However, whatever the reason for their failure to remain vigilant, the result is the same, which is poor treatment and supervision of elderly residents. This poor supervision often can lead to serious injuries or even fatalities.

Failure to Notice Signs or Symptoms of Dehydration

Dehydration is a common problem in nursing homes, as some nursing home residents fail to drink enough water to ensure their good health.

In some cases, the elderly resident may have difficulty swallowing, known as dysphagia. When a resident has dysphagia, they may not feel inclined to drink due to their medical condition. In these instances, if there is a failure of the nursing home staff to remain vigilant regarding monitoring their residents, dehydration can occur quite quickly.

According to Mayo Clinic, the elderly are especially at risk for dehydration, as they have a naturally low water volume in their body as they age. They also might take medications that put them more at risk for dehydration.

Signs or Symptoms of Dehydration

Some of the signs or symptoms of dehydration that all nursing home employees should remain vigilant and notice immediately in order to provide proper hydration and care include:

• ThirstDry or cracked lips
• Loss of appetite
• Dry or fragile skin
• Difficulty speaking or becoming confused
• Dark-colored urine
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Faintness or dizziness
• Dry mouth
• Difficulty breathing

These signs and symptoms of dehydration are common among elderly residents, and nursing homes staff employees should always remain vigilant to notice any of these warning signs. Any sign or symptom of dehydration should receive immediate medical treatment, and a physician should receive notice in order to ensure that the elderly resident receives the treatment they need to restore them to health.

Negligence and Abuse in Nursing Home Settings

The failure to notice signs and symptoms of dehydration in elderly residents of a nursing home can lead to serious medical issues or even death. Hydration should be part of the routine care of a nursing home resident, and nursing home staff should not only provide constant hydration for their residents, but also take the time to ensure that they actually drink the water provided to them.

If you notice that your elderly loved one has any signs or symptoms of dehydration when visiting them in their nursing home, contact management immediately. If you feel your concerns are not addressed appropriately, you have the legal right to remove them from the nursing home, contact Adult Protective Services, or even contact law enforcement if necessary.

If your loved one suffered injuries because of dehydration, you could hold the nursing home accountable for their neglect or abuse.

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Failure to Provide Appropriate Staff to Meet Residents’ Requests for Water

The Nursing Home Reform Law of 1987 requires that all nursing homes have a registered nurse at the nursing home eight consecutive hours every day of the week. This law also requires that a licensed nurse remains on duty 24 hours a day. Finally, all nursing homes must have appropriate staffing to ensure the needs of all residents are always attended to, and that they do not suffer any injuries or fatalities as a result of negligence.

Unfortunately, nursing homes remain woefully understaffed, resulting in serious injuries or deaths. If your elderly loved one suffered from dehydration as a result of the failure of the nursing home to provide appropriate staff to meet their residents’ requests for water, you may have the legal right to pursue justice and receive compensation for their injuries. Learn more about how understaffing contributes to the dangerous occurrence of dehydration in nursing home residents.

Why Understaffing Occurs in Nursing Homes

According to Inquiry, understaffing is a common concern throughout nursing homes in the United States and can occur for several reasons. In some cases, nursing home facilities simply do not have the financial resources to ensure that their facility is properly and adequately staffed.

In other cases, the homes will make their employees work extremely long hours, resulting in burnout and fatigue. These employees then perform their jobs negligently due to overexertion, stress, and exhaustion.

Some of these employees will simply quit their jobs after dealing with so much stress, leaving the nursing home with an even worse staffing situation, again placing even more burden on the employees that remained. Workweeks are oftentimes unreasonably long, and this leads to poor decision making, neglect of nursing home residents, or in the worst-case scenarios, directly to the abuse of nursing home residents.

Understaffing Leads to Possible Dehydration

Nursing homes have a duty and responsibility to ensure that their residents receive basic care and supervision. If a nursing home fails to provide appropriate staff to meet the residents’ requests for water, elderly residents may suffer from dehydration as a result. Ways that understaffing can lead to possible dehydration in residents include:

• Failure to provide requests for water from residents due to inadequate staffing.
• Failure to ensure that residents actually consume the water provided.
• Failure to properly provide training to the staff to have the ability to recognize symptoms of dehydration.
• Failure to closely supervise those residents with dysphagia, which is the condition that makes swallowing difficult.
• Failure to identify actual symptoms of dehydration and provide proper treatment.
• Failure to monitor prescription medication usage, some of which may increase the risk of dehydration.
• Failure to actually notify a physician if a resident becomes dehydrated.

Symptoms of Dehydration in the Elderly

According to Cleveland Clinic, dehydration is a commonly overlooked medical condition in seniors. Some of the symptoms of dehydration in the elderly include thirst, loss of appetite, skin flushing, dry skin, dark-colored urine, weakness, chills, fatigue, dry mouth, faintness, dizziness, or lightheadedness.

In some extreme cases, dehydration may cause challenges with breathing, vomiting, and seizures. Due to the fact that the elderly population in a nursing home often have frailer and weakened overall health, they should receive constant monitoring to ensure that they receive the hydration they need to stay healthy.

Consequences of Dehydration in the Elderly

Consequences of dehydration in the elderly may include pneumonia, a weakened immune system, electrolyte imbalances, ulcer, bedsores, worsened dementia, and the risk for additional infections. Unfortunately, the worst consequence of dehydration in the elderly is death. If you ever notice that your elderly loved one in a nursing home exhibits any symptoms or signs of dehydration, make sure they seek immediate medical attention.

Action Steps to Take If You Suspect Understaffing

If you believe your elderly loved one suffers from dehydration as a result of the nursing home understaffing situation, you have the right to contact the management of the nursing home immediately. If you feel your concerns do not receive immediate attention, you have the legal right to contact Adult Protective Services, and in certain cases, if necessary, contact law enforcement.

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Failure to Monitor and Measure a Resident’s Water Consumption

As we age, it becomes more difficult for our bodies to retain water, which can lead to an increased risk of dehydration. Dehydration is more than just being thirsty. In fact, if you feel thirsty, you already are dehydrated.

For most people, mild dehydration can be treated by drinking more water, but in the elderly, dehydration can be serious and lead to severe health complications.

Older adults who live in nursing homes are even more at risk for dehydration than seniors who live at home. At a nursing home, the staff is responsible for ensuring the health of the people in their care, including meeting their nutritional needs. Failure to monitor and measure a resident’s water consumption can cause dehydration, which can result in health problems.

Dehydration and Nursing Home Residents

If your loved one lives in a nursing home and suffered from dehydration, it could be a sign that their nutritional needs are not being met. Nursing homes operate under strict dietary guidelines that vary from state to state. However, all nursing home facilities should be making sure residents receive three meals a day, water, and other fluids are served at mealtimes, and snacks and drinks are offered between meals.

There are other issues that could contribute to dehydration. According to Mayo Clinic, these include:

• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• Lack of mobility, which may make it difficult to obtain water without assistance
• Lack of assistance with eating and drinking
• Dementia and confusion
• Medications that may increase the risk of dehydration
• Underlying health conditions, such as diabetes and kidney disease
• Recent illnesses, especially those with symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, or fever, which cause the body to lose fluids more rapidly

Water is essential to maintaining our health and ensuring the body is properly functioning. Our bodies need water to keep our joints lubricated, protect our organs and tissues, keep our nose, mouth, and eyes moist, regulate body temperature, and flush out waste. We naturally lose water through our breath, urine, bowel movements, and perspiration, and it is important to replace fluids through eating and drinking.

If we do not ingest enough fluid, we become dehydrated, which can lead to other health problems. Failure to monitor and measure a resident’s water consumption could lead to dehydration, which can cause constipation, urinary tract infections, and kidney stones, as well as more serious issues, like kidney failure, or even death.

Caregivers should be alert for these signs of dehydration:

• Weakness
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Infrequent urination
• Dark urine
• Dry mouth
• Fatigue
• Extreme thirst
• Sunken eyes and cheeks

If a nursing home staff member notices signs of dehydration in a resident, they should notify the resident’s doctor.

Family members of nursing home residents also should be aware that malnutrition and dehydration may be some of the first warning signs of nursing home abuse and neglect.

Elder Abuse and Nursing Home Neglect

Unfortunately, nursing home abuse and neglect may happen more than you think. In a study of more than 2,000 residents, 44 percent reported being abused, while 95 percent said they suffered neglect or saw someone else suffer neglect. Abuse can be physical, financial, sexual, or the results of intentional or intentional neglect. Sometimes, unintentional neglect happens when a nursing home is understaffed or the staff is not properly trained.

According to U.S. News & World Report, other indications there may be abuse or neglect occurring in your loved one’s nursing home include:

• Unexplained cuts, sores, bruises, or burns
• Excessive instances of falling or other injuries
• Bedsores
• Weight loss
• Lack of help toileting, or infrequent changing of soiled diapers
• Call bells and cries for help go unanswered

Your loved one may also show changes in behavior, such as acting depressed, acting violent or aggressive, or losing interest in activities they once enjoyed.

If you suspect abuse and neglect, you should report it immediately. The first step is to write a detailed report documenting any concerning instances. You can file this report with nursing home administration, as well as the state regulatory agency for nursing homes (usually the health department), the local police, adult protective services, and an organization that advocates against elder abuse. If you witness abuse as it happens, or there is a medical emergency, call 911.

Failure to Recommend Fluids During, Before, and After Mealtimes

We all need water to survive. Proper hydration is essential to our health and well-being, and without it, our bodies cannot function. Water makes up 60 percent of our body weight, and according to Mayo Clinic, every cell, tissue, and organ in our bodies needs it to work properly.

We all need to make sure we replenish our bodies’ fluids throughout the day. The water in our bodies keeps our joints lubricated, regulates our body temperature, and protects our organs, among other important functions. We naturally lose water through urine, sweat, breath, and bowel movements, and other activities, like vigorous exercise or exposure to heat.

We replace the water in the body by consuming food and drink, but when we do not get enough water, it can lead to dehydration. If dehydration is not treated, it can cause serious health problems, especially in the elderly.

As we age, we naturally retain less water, and our sense of thirst decreases. This makes the elderly especially vulnerable to dehydration, and seniors living in nursing homes are even more at risk of suffering from dehydration than those living at home.

Nursing home staff should be making sure residents are drinking enough, and failure to recommend fluids during, before, and after mealtimes could result in dehydration. This also could be a sign of more serious problems with your loved one’s nursing home care.

Dehydration and the Elderly

Several conditions that affect the elderly can contribute to the risk of dehydration. These include:

• Mobility issues that make it difficult to get water without help
• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• Lack of needed assistance when eating and drinking
• Dementia and confusion
• Medications that contribute to dehydration
• Underlying health conditions, such as diabetes and kidney disease
• Recent bouts of vomiting, fever, or diarrhea

Confusion, dizziness, fatigue, sunken eyes and cheeks, and weakness all could be signs of dehydration in your loved one. Other signs to watch for include infrequent urination or dark urine, dry mouth, and extreme thirst.

Mild dehydration can be treated by administering additional fluids, but serious and prolonged instances can lead to more severe conditions, like urinary tract infections, kidney stones, kidney failure, and even death.

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Sadly, nursing home abuse and neglect can occur regardless of laws prohibiting it, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The National Center on Elder Abuse reports that a study of more than 2,000 nursing home residents found 44 percent said they had been abused, and 95 percent had experienced neglect or witnessed another resident being neglected.

According to the U.S. News & World Report, dehydration and malnourishment are frequent signs of nursing home neglect. Dehydration could signal your loved one may not be receiving all of his or her meals, or may not be getting needed assistance with eating and drinking.

Each state has its own regulations for dietary services in nursing homes. The specifics may differ, but all nursing homes are required to meet residents’ dietary needs, provide regular and nourishing meals, and offer snacks and fluids throughout the day. Dehydration could mean the nursing home is failing to provide proper nutrition or recommend fluids during, before, and after mealtimes. Neglect may not always be intentional. Though no less harmful, it could be the result of poorly trained or overworked staff.

Other signs your loved one may be experiencing abuse or neglect include:

• Bedsores
• Lack of toileting or changing of disposable diapers
• Lack of bathing and hygiene
• Weight loss
• Depression
• Unexplained cuts, sores, bruises, or burns
• Acting withdrawn
• Aggressive or violent behavior
• Repeated instances of falling, fractures, and other injuries

If you suspect abuse or neglect in your loved one’s nursing home, it should be reported. You should file a detailed, dated report with the nursing home’s administration.

You may also wish to file a report with local law enforcement, the agency responsible for overseeing nursing homes in your state, agencies that advocate against elder abuse, and/or adult protective services. If you witness abuse as it is happening, call 911.

Failure to Properly Monitor Medications Which May Cause Dehydration

Dehydration results when an elderly resident in a nursing home does not receive enough water or hydration. In some cases, medications may contribute to dehydration in elderly residents. Families take great care to select nursing homes in order to provide a safe and secure environment for their elderly loved one. They expect that their loved one will receive the attention they need, as well as the medications required at the appropriate times.

Families also expect that their elderly loved one will also receive monitoring and supervision to prevent medical conditions such as dehydration that may occur following the consumption of different types of medications. Learn more about how you may have the legal right to pursue justice if your elderly loved one suffered from dehydration in a nursing home as a result of the nursing home employees failing to properly monitor medications.

Causes of Dehydration

According to Nutrients, elderly residents in nursing homes suffer from dehydration for a number of reasons, including simply not drinking enough water on a daily basis. In other cases, nursing home residents have challenges with swallowing, known as dysphagia.

Additionally, some elderly residents may have neurodegenerative diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, or other medical conditions that make swallowing difficult. Another cause of dehydration in elderly residents of a nursing home is due to their medications directly causing them to become dehydrated over time.

Dehydration as a Result of Medication

Some prescriptions have the side effect of dehydration. Learn more about some of them below.

Diuretics

Some of the medications include those taken for blood pressure, kidney conditions, edema, liver failure, glaucoma, and heart disease. The common element to all of these medications is that they include a diuretic, which means that they actually increase the amount of salt and water expelled from a person’s body through urination in order to prevent bloating from occurring. Anyone taking these medications may go to the restroom more often, resulting in dehydration if they do not replenish those fluids regularly.

Laxatives

Additionally, laxatives put elderly residents at risk of dehydration due to their ability to soften stool and affect the amount of water in a person’s gastrointestinal system.

Drugs That Cause Diarrhea or Vomiting

Some medications list a side effect of diarrhea or vomiting. If this is the case, a resident should have close monitoring to ensure that they do not suffer from dehydration as these medications can cause dehydration as a result of either diarrhea or vomiting.

Chemotherapy

Some elderly residents develop cancer, and as a result, must go through chemotherapy treatments. Some of the medications associated with chemotherapy have side effects of vomiting and diarrhea. The residents that receive chemotherapy should have close monitoring to ensure that they do not develop dehydration as a result of their medications, according to The Journal of Supportive Oncology.

It is important to note that every resident of a nursing home will have these medications listed on their plan of care, and therefore the staff will have full knowledge that a particular resident is taking a medication known to cause dehydration. As a result, any failure to properly monitor medications of nursing home residents which may cause dehydration is a form of nursing home negligence.

Consequences of Dehydration

While Cleveland Clinic reports that dehydration is common in the elderly, this is a preventable condition. When a person becomes dehydrated, they lack the fluids necessary for their body to operate properly. Hydration remains critical for the overall health of every person, especially for older residents of nursing homes that may suffer from already weakened immune systems or other medical challenges, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

When the body does not have enough fluids, it cannot store glycogen, a source of energy. When this occurs, an elderly senior may suffer from muscle weakness, cramps, respiratory challenges, spasms, abnormal heart rhythms, paralysis, and possible death.

Failure to Monitor Residents Who May Struggle With Swallowing

Some elderly seniors struggle with dysphagia, which is when a person has difficulty swallowing. Families of elderly loved ones make the difficult decision to place their loved one in a nursing home in order that they receive consistent supervision and monitoring. When a nursing home fails to monitor residents who may struggle with swallowing, choking accidents can occur that result in serious medical injuries or even fatalities.

Learn more about dysphagia in the elderly population and how nursing homes have a legal responsibility to monitor and supervise residents in their care. They must be proactive in preventing medical complications or fatalities as a result of dysphagia.

Dysphagia in Nursing Homes

Dysphagia is a common condition in elderly populations. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) indicates that over 50 pairs of muscles and nerves must work together simultaneously in order to properly swallow. As people age, these muscles and nerves weaken and can eventually deteriorate, causing significant challenges with swallowing.

Additionally, many elderly seniors struggle with dysphagia as a result of developing neurological or neurodegenerative diseases, which can ultimately affect muscles and nerves, making it more difficult for these seniors to swallow. It is important to note that every single nursing home resident that present with challenges regarding swallowing should have this information included in their individual plan of care.

Including this information in a plan of care is key. It should alert all nursing home employees to the fact that they should spend additional time making sure that these residents have assistance swallowing food or swallowing medications in order to ensure their continued health. Any failure to monitor residents who may struggle with swallowing is a sign of nursing home negligence.

Signs of Dysphagia in the Elderly

The NICDC indicates that dysphagia occurs in the elderly following strokes, the development of Parkinson’s disease, or simply due to fragility in older age. While nursing homes should monitor all residents for any issues that appear with regard to swallowing challenges, they have a duty to ensure that those residents that have dysphagia listed as part of their plan of care should receive additional supervision during mealtimes and when residents receive medications.

Failure to monitor and supervise these elderly residents can easily result in choking or even death. Some of the signs of dysphagia in the elderly include the following:

• Cough while eating, or immediately after
• Throat clearing
• Eating appears painful
• Food stays only on one side of the mouth
• Spitting out food
• Changes in voice
• Drooling while eating
• Heartburn
• Chewing for an extended period of time but not swallowing
• Touching their throat or chest while eating
• Taking a long time to eat
• Playing with food instead of eating
• Eating extremely quickly
• Watery eyes
• Runny nose
• Unexplained weight loss

Choking in Nursing Homes

Choking risks are high in the population of nursing homes, as some elderly residents simply lose the ability to swallow easily. This failure may due to medical reasons or medications they take on a regular basis. A nursing home has a responsibility to ensure that they monitor all residents, specifically those that have challenges with dysphagia.

If a nursing home resident begins to choke, all nursing home staff employees should have the proper training and education in order to assist them in preventing a serious medical injury or fatality. The warning signs of choking include coughing, inability to speak, gagging, panic signaling, grabbing of the throat, or passing out. Every nursing home should have emergency protocols to deal with any situation that involves an elderly resident suffering from a choking episode.

Wrongful Death Due to Choking

If an elderly resident of a nursing home dies due to the failure of the nursing home employees to monitor residents who may struggle with swallowing, the family of the elderly resident may have the legal right to bring a claim to receive justice for their loved one’s untimely death. While no amount of money will bring back someone’s family member, the family may face unexpected costs, including funeral expenses, remaining medical bills related to the choking attack, and loss of companionship.

Failure to Notify a Doctor If a Staff Member Notices a Resident’s Dehydration Symptoms

When you put your loved one into a nursing home, you are counting on the facility and its staff to treat them with the highest degree of care. You are trusting them to maintain your loved one’s health and meet their needs. When staff fail in their duties, it can lead to dire consequences.

A common yet serious condition affecting the elderly, especially those living in nursing homes, is dehydration. Our bodies need fluids to stay healthy, and when seniors become dehydrated, it can lead to severe and even fatal medical conditions.

Failure to notify a doctor if a staff member notices a resident’s dehydration symptoms could cause illness or injury, including constipation, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and kidney failure. Dehydration can even result in death.

Dehydration and Nursing Home Residents

According to Mayo Clinic, nearly all of our body’s major systems need water to properly function. Water aids in:

• Lubricating joints
• Moistening tissue in the eyes, nose, and mouth
• Protecting body organs and tissues
• Regulating body temperature
• Carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells
• Assisting the kidneys and liver in flushing out waste
• Dissolving minerals and nutrients for absorption

Our bodies are constantly losing water in the forms of breath, urine, sweat, and bowel movements. We have to replenish our water supply by drinking fluids.

Staying hydrated can be especially challenging for seniors because our bodies retain less water, and our sense of thirst decreases as we age. Other issues that may affect hydration include:

• Lack of mobility that makes getting a drink difficult
• Lack of assistance eating and drinking
• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• Medications that contribute to dehydration
• Underlying health conditions, like diabetes or kidney disease
• Recent illnesses, especially those that cause fever, vomiting, or diarrhea

Nursing home staff should make sure residents are eating regular, nutritious foods, water is offered with meals, and snacks and fluids are offered throughout the day. Staff also should be alert for any signs of dehydration, such as weakness, dizziness, confusion, fatigue, infrequent urination, or dark urine.

Mild dehydration can usually be treated by drinking more water, but failure to notify a doctor if a staff member notices a resident’s dehydration symptoms could lead to more serious health complications. It also could be a sign of substandard nursing home care.

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, a study of 2,000 nursing home residents found that 44 percent of them reported being abused, while 95 percent said they experienced neglect or saw another resident neglected.

Sometimes, neglect can be unintentional, though no less harmful. Mistakes can be made when nursing home staff are poorly trained or overworked.

Dehydration and malnutrition are some of the first signs that your loved one may not be getting the care they deserve. Other signs of abuse and neglect include:

• Lack of mobility assistance
• Lack of bathing and hygiene
• Unexplained bruises, burns, sores, or other injuries
• Frequent falls, fractures, or other injuries
• Lack of toileting or changing soiled clothing and diapers
• Lack of assistance eating or drinking
• Bedsores
• Weight loss

Your loved one may also exhibit changes in behavior, like acting violent or aggressive, or becoming withdrawn and uninterested in activities they used to enjoy. You may also see signs that the nursing home is not properly staffed, such as ringing phones going unanswered, or call bells being ignored.

In addition to neglect, seniors are unfortunately also subjected to physical, financial, and sexual abuse. In fact, the NCEA reports that a 2010 study found that over 50 percent of nursing home staff admitted to committing some form of elder abuse during the previous year.

If you believe your loved one is suffering from dehydration or other signs of abuse and neglect, you should make a detailed, written report to nursing home administration. You may also wish to file your report with the agency responsible for regulating nursing homes in your state (often, the health department), the local police, adult protective services, or an agency that advocates for the elderly. If there is a medical emergency, or you witness abuse as it is happening, call 911.

Learn How We Can Help

Overstaffing and undertraining of employees in nursing homes is a widespread problem throughout the United States.

If you feel your elderly loved one suffered from dehydration as a result of the failure of the staff to recognize symptoms of dehydration, you might be able to pursue compensation for their injuries and losses.

Consider contacting our team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 842-6336 today to have your questions answered and learn your legal rights to ensure that your elderly loved one receives justice.

Call or text (800) 842-6336 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form