Skin Breakdown and Infection in Nursing Homes

 Posted on July 18, 2024 in Nursing Home Negligence

One of the unfortunate effects of aging is that a person’s skin becomes thinner and more fragile over time. At the same time, older adults’ immune systems become less robust, causing elders to become more prone to infection. An elderly person can quickly experience skin breakdown if not provided proper care. This can lead to devastating infections, painful medical interventions, loss of quality of life, and even wrongful death. While mild rashes and skin irritation are sometimes inevitable in the elderly, more significant skin breakdown is often the result of nursing home neglect. If your loved one has experienced serious skin issues while being cared for in a nursing home, you should consult a Plainfield, IL nursing home neglect lawyer.

Causes of Significant Skin Breakdown and Infection in the Elderly

Proper care and hygiene can prevent most serious skin damage and infections. Your loved one’s nursing home might have carelessly caused his or her skin breakdown by:

• Not changing soiled bedding or diapers promptly - Incontinence is an extremely common issue for elderly people in skilled nursing facilities. Soiled bedding, clothing, and diapers must be changed as quickly as possible to prevent waste from causing skin breakdown, which can rapidly become infected. 
• Improper care of injection sites or medical devices - Many nursing home residents receive daily injections of insulin, blood thinners, or other medications. Others have ports, surgically implanted feeding tubes, or ostomies. Failing to sterilize or clean these areas of the body can lead to infections, which may take hold under the skin and affect an elder’s internal organs.
• Inadequate hygiene - Routine bathing is essential. Even a bed bath with wipes can remove harmful bacteria from the skin. Bedding and clothing should also be changed regularly to provide the elderly with a clean environment.
• Lack of regular assessment - Residents who are primarily immobile should be routinely checked head-to-toe for signs of skin damage. When skin breakdown is caught in the very early stages, it can be treated relatively easily so that it does not worsen or become infected. 
• No frequent turning - Residents who are bedbound and immobile should be turned regularly to prevent bedsores from taking hold. Understaffed nursing homes often neglect this vital step. 

Contact a Plainfield, IL Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer 

Flaherty Law, LLC is dedicated to protecting the rights of elderly nursing home patients. Aggressive Will County, IL nursing home neglect attorney Daniel Flaherty has recovered millions of dollars of compensation in personal injury cases. Contact us at 815-577-7500 for a complimentary consultation.