Is Malnutrition Automatically A Part Of Living In A Nursing Home?

The lack of proper nutrition is what leads to malnutrition in aging adults and can be a life-threatening situation; it can also be caused by an underlying medical condition. A condition that should be treated by medical professionals that work in connection with the Long Beach nursing home and it should be brought to the family’s attention.

Statistics show that as many as two out of five older people in nursing homes suffer from malnutrition and dehydration, along with electrolyte disorders. The question is malnutrition automatically a part of living in a nursing home? Should not ever need to be asked, nursing homes are legally responsible to provide the proper care for each of their residents.

There are some reasons malnutrition can occur in nursing home patients, one of them is ill-fitting dentures, another reason is the food served is often different than the person has been accustomed to eating.

If a loved one is properly cared for in a nursing home, malnutrition should not happen, in the most serious cases, malnutrition could cause death due to starvation. Families count on nursing homes to provide food, shelter, and care for family members that can no longer care for themselves or be cared for in the home of family members. When this type of situation occurs the nursing home and its staff needs to be held responsible for their lack of care and the place to start is with the help of an experienced Orange County elderly abuse attorneys.

Signs of malnutrition may include weight loss and health decline, it can also cause dizziness, lethargy, and loss of physical or mental abilities. Malnutrition is food deficiency, that takes place when the nursing home residents are not provided with sufficient amounts of the vitamins, minerals, protein, or calories the body requires.

Long Beach nursing homes have the responsibility to do a nutritional assessment on residents often to ensure they are getting the proper nutrition and that there is no problems they are unaware of with each resident. Malnutrition can lead to many serious health problems that will affect the heath of the elderly person, including muscle weakness, immobility, falls. It can also lead to more serious health problems such as bed sores, pneumonia, decreased immunity, and infections.

Should family members spot these signs, they need to correct this situation immediately for the welfare of their loved one. The nursing home needs to be held responsible for their neglect of the person they are legally supposed to be caring for and monitoring. The question is malnutrition automatically a part of living in a nursing home? Should never need to be asked and if it is then the assistance of an Orange County elderly abuse attorney is needed.  If you suffered an injury in a nursing home, contact personal injury lawyers in Los Angeles now! 888-400-9721.