The Painful Condition Of Decubitus Ulcers Caused From Neglect

The way that the decubitus ulcer begins to form when pressure is constant on the skin, the soft tissue and the muscle by the weight of the bones and the aging person has a surface under them such as a bed or wheelchair. Older people that still have the advantage of being mobile do not generally have the threat of these types of sores. This is because they form due to the bones on the muscle, tissue and skin, along with poor circulation in the area from being against a hard surface.

These sores are painful to the aging person; they also have a high risk of infection and cause irreversible tissue damage. An elderly person that is confined to a bed or wheelchair is more at risk for this type of ulcer, without the proper care and range of motion exercises to enhance circulation.

This is a responsibility of the Orange County nursing home staff or home health agency to ensure that range of motion exercises are preformed. There are also other things that can be done to protect the aging person from the decubitus ulcers; this can be done by, using pillows or lambswool at the areas that are vulnerable. The painful condition of decubitus ulcers caused from neglect when the nursing professional does not rotate the patient often to keep the muscle and tissue from being destroyed. This is when the aging person needs the protection of an Orange County elderly abuse attorney.


These areas are the hips, knees, ankles and heels, as well as the shoulders. The older person that is confined to bed or a wheelchair depends on the nursing home staff or home health professional to change the position they are in often enough that the skin, tissue and muscle does not begin to break down.

Statistics show that these types of ulcers occur in two thirds of people over the age of 70 that are under nursing home or home health agency care. The rate for nursing home resident’s alone averages between 17 and 28 percent. Once the skin, tissue and muscle has broken down and decubitus ulcers have formed, even if they have been treated or surgical therapies have been done there is a recurrence rate of as high as 90 percent.

These statistics even include the Orange County and Riverside County nursing homes and home health agencies. This is why when an elderly relative is mistreated in this manner an Orange County or Riverside elder abuse attorney needs to hold the nursing home or home health agency responsible for this painful condition. Call now at 888-400-9721.