Chicago Nursing Home Abuse - Malnutrition and Dehydration

Nursing Home Malnutrition

  • 35 to 85 percent of nursing home residents are malnourished.
  • 30 to 50 percent are underweight.
  • Common causes are inadequate food intake and repeated infections – the same primary causes of malnutrition in developing countries.

Source: National Citizens’ Coalition for Nursing Home Reform

Malnutrition can lead to a host of medical complications, including infections, ulcers, cognitive degeneration, slow healing, joint and bone fractures, fatigue, depression and increased mortality rate. The National Citizens’ Coalition for Nursing Home Reform calls the issue of malnutrition, weight loss and dehydration within the nursing home industry “one of the largest, silent epidemics in this country.”

The Chicago nursing home neglect attorneys at Abels & Annes fight for the rights of families dealing with cases of nursing home abuse or neglect throughout Illinois. Often the decision to put a loved one into a nursing home or assisted-living facility is an emotional decision made possible by the belief that a professionally supervised environment is best for their welfare and physical well-being. Basic nutrition should be the bare minimum of expected care. Yet malnutrition and dehydration are serious medical conditions inflicting far too many elderly nursing home residents and can lead to serious or fatal health complications.

Common risk factors include depression, cognitive impairment, poor oral health and the side effects of medication. Nursing home environmental factors include lack of individual care, insufficient staffing levels, high turnover among staff members and poor food choices.

The Coalition for Nursing Home Reform has identified factors critical to a nursing home’s ability to ensure proper nutrition of residents, including: staffing levels at meal times; management and supervision of staff by licensed nurses; involvement of professionals, including doctors, dietitians, and dentists; and staff education.

The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 directly addresses the requirements for proper nutrition and hydration in nursing homes and applies directly to all of the nation’s 17,000 homes that participate in Medicare or Medicaid programs. The law mandates individual assessment and care planning, as well as sufficient staffing, physician oversight and other quality-of-life rights.

If you are dealing with the neglect or abuse of a loved one in an Illinois nursing home, contact the Chicago nursing home neglect lawyers at Abels & Annes to discuss your rights. There are no fees unless you win.

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