What You Need to Know About Nursing Home Malnutrition and Dehydration

Nursing homes and their hired caregivers are tasked with caring for seniors and all their daily living needs. This includes providing them with a safe, secure living environment. It also means offering them regular, nutritious meals. When nursing home staff fail to do this, it can lead to malnutrition and dehydration, which may be a type of neglect.

What is Nursing Home Malnutrition and Dehydration?

Malnutrition in a nursing home occurs when residents don’t receive access to adequate, nutritious meals. Dehydration in a nursing home occurs when residents aren’t given access to safe, clean drinking water. Some signs of nursing home malnutrition and dehydration may include:

• Weakness
• Dull skin
• Cold sensitivity
• Delayed reflexes
• Fatigue
• Pale, flushed skin
• Dizziness
• Swollen hands

Nursing home malnutrition and dehydration don’t just lead to immediate problems. It can also lead to long-term medical effects like osteoporosis and anemia.

How Does Nursing Home Malnutrition and Dehydration Occur?

The most common and obvious cause of nursing home malnutrition and dehydration occurs when nursing home staff don’t provide their residents with access to nutritious meals. However, this may not be the only cause. Residents may have reduced appetites from medical conditions or medications. They may not have the mobility needed to get to the common dining area.

Nursing home residents with Alzheimer’s and dementia may become confused around mealtimes. The caregivers are responsible for assisting these residents and ensuring they are receiving routine nutrition. When they don’t, it may be considered neglect.

Another cause of malnutrition and dehydration may occur from abuse. Caregivers may withhold meals or beverages from residents as a type of punishment. They may be overworked and skip certain resident meals. These causes are not okay, as malnutrition and dehydration can lead to serious medical concerns. Additionally, seniors are often at a higher risk of these concerns because of co-occurring medical conditions.

Was Your Loved One the Victim of Malnutrition or Dehydration in a Nursing Home?

If your loved one in a nursing home environment was malnourished or dehydrated, it’s important to look into the cause. This helps you deal with any medical conditions and prevent them from happening again. If you suspect that nursing home abuse or neglect may be to blame, it’s important to take action now. File a claim with the state of New Jersey.

This opens an official investigation into the nursing home. In the meantime, you may want to move your loved one to a safer place. It’s also possible that your loved one will have to spend some time in the hospital as they recover from the nursing home neglect.

If your loved one’s malnutrition or dehydration is found to be a result of neglect or abuse, you may have legal options. While filing a lawsuit against the nursing home won’t take away the pain and suffering you and your family have had to endure, it can provide you with the funds you need to deal with it. 

These costs can help cover medical bills, lost wages, and moving costs. They can also help cover the pain and suffering your loved one may have been subject to as a result of the neglect.

Contact a Paterson Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer to Discuss Your Malnutrition and Dehydration Case Today

Seniors in nursing homes and other care facilities deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. Additionally, nursing home staff needs to ensure that patients are safe and secure at all times. If your loved one suffered an injury, or worse, due to nursing home abuse in New Jersey, you need to speak with a qualified attorney. The experienced nursing home neglect attorneys at Sugarman Law Firm represent clients throughout New Jersey, including Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, and Elizabeth. Call (866) 657-5660 or fill out the online contact form to schedule a free consultation today. We have an office conveniently located at 80 East Main Street, Somerville, NJ 08876, as well as offices in Marlton, NJ.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.