When a family member gets to the point where they are no longer able to care for themselves in a safe manner or a safe environment, we try to make the right decision. Many families choose to place them in the care of skilled professionals in a nursing home.
Unfortunately, not all nursing homes are created equal. Some neglect their duty of care and their patients, your loved ones. The Nursing Home Abuse Center estimates that dehydration is one of the most common types of elder abuse and neglect in nursing home settings. Dehydration may sound tame, but it carries enormous health consequences for the elderly. Plus, if a nursing home is having problems giving residents the most basic of necessities, water, what else are they neglecting?
Nursing home residents have rights. If your loved one is suffering from dehydration in a nursing home, contact Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC for help right away. Don’t let your family members slowly suffer from the effects of dehydration due to neglect. Take action and call our knowledgeable Kentucky nursing home abuse lawyers at(859) 550-2900 contact us for immediate help.
What is Dehydration?
Dehydration is more than just “that thirsty” feeling. Dehydration is a medical condition where the body is losing more fluids than it is taking in. Your body then lacks the vital fluids that it needs to order to carry out normal functions. Every single cell in our bodies needs water in order to function and thrive. Dehydration may seem like a minor problem, but in fact, it can lead to very serious health concerns and consequences. Children and older adults are very susceptible to becoming dehydrated, as well as to the effects that dehydration can have on the body.
Sometimes dehydration can be the result of an illness or as a result of diarrhea or vomiting. An older adult may become dehydrated as a result of fever or due to an increase in urination, perhaps due to an undiagnosed illness such as diabetes.
Certain medications like diuretics and some types of blood pressure medications may also lead to dehydration. In other circumstances, dehydration can be the result of negligent care in the hands of understaffed or improperly trained nursing home employees.
Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration
In many instances, the first signs of dehydration may be subtle. The victim may begin to notice that they feel thirstier or that their mouth feels dry. As dehydration progresses there will be a decrease in the amount of urine produced and the color of the urine will become darker. Other symptoms of dehydration can be:
- Thirst
- Dry mouth
- Lethargy or lack of energy
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Dark Urine
- Less Urine
- General muscle weakness
As dehydration progresses the symptoms become more serious and the complications become more severe. Extreme signs of dehydration may include:
- Rapid heartbeat
- Rapid breathing
- Fainting
- Drop in blood pressure
- Seizure
Dehydration is a very serious condition, especially in the elderly. Dehydration needs to be treated immediately by a medical professional. The condition can cause serious and sometimes permanent injury to the body if left untreated. Seizures that can result in dangerous falls, and serious complications such as kidney stones, urinary tract infections, and eventually kidney failure can all be the result of dehydration. If left untreated for long enough the result can eventually be death. The body cannot function without fluids.
If you notice that your elderly loved one is suffering from any of these symptoms you need to seek medical help immediately. Then it is important to get to the bottom of why your family member was able to deteriorate to such a state in the first place? Have they been suffering an illness or is it something more? If you have suspicions about the care a nursing home is giving your family member call Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC for a free consultation. We want to help you get the care and compensation your loved one deserves.
How can Nursing Home Neglect Lead to Dehydration?
Nursing homes are bound by a duty of care that they must provide to all residents. Nursing homes are under strict federal and state guidelines to care for their patients, your cherished loved ones. You expect that they will give your loved ones the medical care they need as well as the everyday help that is required. These long-term care facilities must have an adequate amount of staff in order to care for their patients, but they must also have properly trained staff.
A nursing home may be considered negligent if their employees fail in their duties to provide the necessary medical or quality of life care that is required. What exactly could that look like? Here are a few examples:
- Failure to provide clean and adequate nutrition and fluids
- Failure to provide proper supervision when needed during mealtimes
- Inadequate amount of staff to feed and monitor all patients
- Failure to notice obvious eating or drinking problems- difficulty chewing or swallowing
- Failure to properly monitor medications that could contribute to dehydration
- Failure to properly examine a patient before admission
These are only a fraction of the negligent behaviors that could lead your loved one to suffer from dehydration. If you’re loved one seems to be suffering from any of the classic signs of dehydration or has recently lost weight or had a change in behavior or appearance their health may be at stake.
How Can Kentucky Nursing Home Abuse Law Firm Help You?
At Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC we understand the difficulties that you are facing. You have trusted a nursing home to care for the health and wellbeing of your loved one. When that trust is violated, and your family member is suffering from dehydration or other health concerns you need someone to turn to for help. We want to be the ones you turn to in your time of need. We offer compassionate and caring service to you and your family while aggressively going after the parties responsible for the negligent care of a fellow human being, your loved one.
Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC will work with you and your family to see that justice is served and that you have the compensation that your family deserves. Don’t wait to call(859) 550-2900, every moment you hesitate is another moment the nursing home has to hurt another member of our community. At Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC we want to fight for you.