Every resident of every nursing home deserves high-quality and compassionate care around the clock, especially when it comes to making sure they get enough to eat and drink. Unfortunately, not every nursing home is as diligent about protecting their residents as they should be, and that sometimes leads to vulnerable people suffering serious and potentially life-threatening physical harm.
If someone close to you is experiencing dehydration and malnutrition in a Blue Bell nursing home, it may fall to you to take legal action on their behalf. Our experienced nursing home abuse lawyers can help you make sure your loved one doesn’t suffer any further abuse or neglect, get them the medical care they need to address any harm they have already sustained, and then demand comprehensive compensation for the losses their mistreatment will lead to them experiencing.
Identifying Symptoms of Dehydration and Malnutrition
Because nursing home residents often have conditions like Alzheimer’s, which may prevent them from reporting abuse or neglect, it can be vital for family members and close friends of these residents to know some of the common signs of dehydration and malnutrition so they can act quickly to stop mistreatment inside a Blue Bell nursing home. Some especially common symptoms of dehydration include:
- Extreme thirst
- Abnormally dry or cracked skin, especially around the lips and fingers
- Dark brownish urine, or no urine at all
- Excessive fatigue
- Nausea
- Confusion and dizziness
Dizziness and fatigue can also be symptoms of malnutrition in certain circumstances, as can things like:
- Sudden and dramatic weight loss
- Bloating in the belly
- Sudden loss of muscle tone
- Trouble staying warm
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Trouble swallowing
- Swelling or bleeding in the mouth or gums
- Weakened immune system leading to more illnesses and infections
People with cognitive problems and people who are unable to move easily on their own are especially susceptible to dehydration and malnutrition if they’re not cared for properly. It’s particularly important to check on nursing home residents with problems like these regularly.
Who’s Legally Liable for This Mistreatment?
While dehydration and malnutrition in Blue Bell nursing homes sometimes stem from intentional abuse, it’s much more common for this type of problem to come from unintentional negligence by individual staff members, lack of staff, or bad management that can be traced back to facility owners. Often, multiple people share in the blame for a nursing home resident not getting proper nutrition. Everyone who played a role in a resident being mistreated could hold civil liability for injuries and losses caused by that mistreatment.
Specific damages in a civil claim built around this sort of mistreatment include:
- Physical pain and discomfort
- Emotional trauma and distress
- Loss of life’s pleasures
- Medical bills for treatment needed to address severe dehydration, malnutrition, and their consequences
A skilled legal professional can help identify, assign a fair value to, and effectively demand compensation for every form of harm a particular resident has suffered and will suffer.
A Blue Bell Attorney Can Help Sue Over Nursing Home Dehydration and Malnutrition
Nursing home residents are uniquely vulnerable to many different kinds of mistreatment, but few are more dangerous than a lack of food and water. Even a day or two of poor nutrition and hydration can have life-altering consequences for someone already dealing with serious physical and mental challenges.
You have help available with demanding fair financial recovery for your loved one’s dehydration and malnutrition in a Blue Bell nursing home. Call Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today to learn what our attorneys can do for you. You won’t owe us anything until we win the compensation you deserve.
