There are four stages of bedsores

Families in the Albuquerque area who have a loved one in a skilled nursing facility know how important these facilities are for taking care of people who are no longer able to care for themselves. When a loved one is not able to take of themselves anymore and needs help to do daily activities such as get dressed, cook, use the bathroom, etc. Families understand the importance of long-term care facilities in taking care of their beloved family members in their later years. Most of the time these facilities do a good job of taking care of their residents but occasionally neglect occurs such as bedsores.

Bedsores are a painful sore that are also known as pressure ulcers. These can occur to people who don’t have as much movement as they once did. They typically occur on a person’s lower back, heels, tailbone, and hips. There are also certain conditions which can make bedsores work such as dehydration and malnutrition.

If a person develops bedsores it can be very serious. There are four stages of a bedsore according to the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel. The first stage is the skin is not broken yet but appears red. The sore can feel warm or hard to the touch. The second stage is where the person’s skin is broken and there is a shallow sore. The third stage is where the sore has expanded from the top layer of skin into the fatty tissue below the top layer. The fourth stage of a bedsore is where the sore has extended into a person’s muscle and may have even entered the bone.

Families put an incredible amount of trust in their loved one’s nursing home facility. They trust their loved one will receive the best possible care and any issue will be dealt with immediately. A bedsore, if not treated properly, can lead to a serious infection and even death. If a family believes their loved one is the victim of nursing home neglect, they may want to speak with a legal professional who is skilled in nursing home abuse. An attorney can review the circumstances surrounding the negligence and hold the facility accountable for their mistake.