Elderly and infirm residents of nursing homes are at an increased risk of malnutrition and dehydration for a myriad of reasons, most significantly because they frequently cannot monitor their own intake of food and water.
A study completed in 2006 by the Journal of Nutrition for the Elderly found that “Nutrition is a major problem in nursing homes, as evidenced by up to 85% of elderly people suffering from malnutrition. Nutritional deficiencies are frequently not recognized, are often the common underlying cause of adverse clinical outcomes, and are often not treated even though opportunities for preventing or correcting undernutrition are available.”
What should family members and caregivers be looking for?
Because nursing home residents frequently need assistance with eating and drinking, families should be ever-vigilant for obvious signs of inadequate staffing and high staff turnover rates. Typically, a nurse aide is assigned to 7-10 residents during the day shift and is required to provide meal-time assistance ranging from positioning the resident to eat, setting up trays, opening containers, cutting food, and buttering bread – these tasks are time-consuming; however, this same aide is often required to feed many of these residents, slowly and carefully due to a range of medical conditions including cognitive impairment and difficulty swallowing. Simply placing plate in front of a resident is a futile activity unless the facility provides sufficient staff to supervise, assist and in some cases feed the resident. Inadequate nutritional intake can lead to severe medical complications including increased confusion, muscle weakness, bedsores, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and any other bacterial and viral infections. These conditions are far more difficult to treat then to prevent. Families and caregivers must be on the constant lookout for some of the physical signs and symptoms of malnutrition and dehydration:
- Increased weakness, confusion, disorientation;
- Diarrhea
- Reduced urine output
- Dry, cracking skin;
- Sores in the mouth, cracking lips;
- Sunken eyes
What can families do?
- Request a speech therapist consult if your loved one experiences new or increased difficulty swallowing;
- For bed-bound patients, make sure fluids and meals are within reach of the patient;
- Visit at mealtimes and observe if there is staff present to assist. Ask to speak to the director of nursing if your loved one is not being assisted with meals;
- Request a dietary consult from a registered dietician and request a copy of the report;
- Attend care planning conferences and request your loved ones’s weight charts, charts containing meal consumption percentages, and recordation of fluid intake and output;
- Contact the physician and request his/her input on your loved ones’ nutritional status.
The active involvement of families, coupled with observation and frequent visits are cornerstones in preventing many of the problems and conditions associated with malnutrition and dehydration in nursing home residents.
At Johnson Moore, we are here to help victims of elder neglect and their families understand their legal options and lead them to the just outcomes they deserve. Our attorneys are compassionate and determined defenders of the elderly, and we will take the time to fully understand your concerns and assess what steps we can take on your behalf. If you suspect one is the victim of elder abuse, contact Johnson Moore today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your options.
