Malnutrition & Dehydration in Nursing Homes

Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Standing Up for Elder Abuse Victims in the U.S.

Malnutrition and malnourishment commonly evidence the occurrence of nursing home abuse and neglect to an elderly loved one. If someone you love is a resident of a nursing home and has or is suffering from malnutrition and malnourishment or any other common abuse and neglect symptoms, it's imperative that you take action on their behalf.

Contact our office today so that we can investigate your case and provide the counsel you deserve.

Our national presence allows our Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers to represent clients throughout the United States. We take a multi-firm approach, partnering with top law firms in your area to provide the best possible case on your behalf. Utilize our 50+ years' collective experience and insight form 10,000+ cases handled in your nursing home neglect/abuse case.

Malnutrition & Malnourishment at Nursing Facilities

Malnutrition and malnourishment are conditions that result from an unbalanced diet that is either excessive or lacking in certain essential vitamins and nutrients. The real concern with these conditions is the extreme likelihood that the resident will develop one of many possible nutrition disorders.

Although a majority of nutrition disorders in the United States relate to issues of obesity, the nutrition disorders that arise in nursing homes pertain to deficiencies. These deficiencies, which derive from malnutrition and malnourishment, can cause problems such as organ failure, elevated blood pressure, anemia, and many others.

Malnutrition is typically defined as one of three distinct categories: First, second, or third. It is sometimes categorized as mild, moderate, or severe. The degrees differ based on the increasing disparity between the medically accepted healthy weight and the current weight of the individual.

What Are Signs Of Malnutrition / Malnourishment?

Some common symptoms of malnutrition are:

Weight loss
Bone or joint pain
Changes in the appearance of an individual's skin or hair

The prevalence of these symptoms and the likelihood of death increase with each heightened degree of malnutrition and malnourishment. As a result, the third degree is the most dangerous and has the highest probability of death. That's why it is important to be aware and to watch for these signs if you have a loved one in a nursing home or other assisted living facility.

The longer a resident suffers from malnutrition and malnourishment, the more grave the consequences. This makes these illnesses especially dangerous to nursing home residents because many of them do not have regular visitors to monitor their health if they are being neglected. It is very common for a resident to suffer from these conditions and deteriorate to a point of no return.

Malnutrition is also extremely dangerous in nursing homes because it greatly increases the risk of infections and weakens the immune system. Malnutrition and malnourishment can also impede a resident's ability to perform simple functions such as walking, which could easily result in a slip or fall. These are problems that elderly individuals are already susceptible to, elevating the dangers of malnutrition.

Is Malnutrition Abuse?

While malnutrition/malnourishment can be the result of both nursing home abuse and neglect, it is more commonly the result of neglect. Because residents of nursing homes live in these facilities full time, they are completely dependent on the home for every aspect of their livelihood; the most vital aspect being food. As a result of budget cuts or severe under-staffing, nursing home staff members frequently neglect the food intake of residents.

Ultimately, this neglect results in malnutrition and malnourishment, which can be very dangerous. Even if it is not the intent of the nursing home to injure its residents, such inadequacies are completely inexcusable, especially since you have paid and trusted these individuals to care for your loved ones.

Elder Abuse is Unacceptable. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Today.

Malnutrition can be difficult to link to abuse or neglect. Therefore, if your loved one has suffered from malnutrition or malnourishment while in the care of a nursing home, it is imperative you immediately contact a nursing home abuse and neglect attorney to ensure qualified counsel and representation is behind your case. At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, our goal is to ensure this abuse never occurs again and your loved one receives the compensation they deserve. We encourage you to call our Illinois law office today.