Kim Gale  |  April 24, 2018

Category: Consumer News

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woman in senior care facilityA family has filed a $1 million civil lawsuit after a woman died from complications of bed sores.

Bed sores, also known as pressure ulcers, cause tissue to become raw and irritated due to prolonged pressure on the skin. Heels, ankles, hips and the tailbone are common areas where bed sores form.

In 2016, nursing home resident Marie Giordano died at the age of 77 while under the care of Bishop’s Care Home, a Rohnert Park senior residential care home. Marie’s family had been paying $4,800 per month for her care, according to the Press Democrat.

The woman who was operating the home at the time has been sentenced to six months in jail after being charged and convicted of criminal elder abuse of Giordano. Jovita Bishop, 57, could have been sentenced to prison, but negotiated a plea agreement that allows her to remain in jail.

Prosecutors said Bishop might qualify for the electronic monitoring program or for participation in a work release program. She also will be on probation for three years, which means she will be barred from caring for seniors and will be unable to work in an elderly care setting.

According to Bishop’s Care Home’s website, “The compassion in the care provided and the individualization of the services that caregivers provide will ensure that residents are as happy as possible.”

Complications from Bed Sores Can Be Fatal

Nursing home patients who are in bed or in a chair most of the time are at risk for developing bed sores, which develop quickly.

According to the Mayo Clinic, warning signs of bed sores include:

  • Uncharacteristic changes in skin color or texture
  • Swelling
  • Drainage of pus-like fluid
  • A patch of skin that feels either cooler or warmer to the touch
  • Tenderness
  • Severe bed sores are deep, possibly involving muscle and bone.

Bed sores can cause life-threatening conditions, including cellulitis. Cellulitis is an infection of the skin. Even though it can be painful, many people who have suffered nerve damage are unable to feel pain in the skin afflicted with cellulitis.

Bone and joint infections occur when the bed sores run deeply beyond the skin. Joint infections are called septic arthritis and can cause permanent damage to cartilage. Bone infections, also known as osteomyelitis, can impair mobility and reduce flexibility of joints.

Left unhindered, bed sores have been known to become areas of squamous cell carcinoma, a cancer that grows from long-term wounds that haven’t healed, known as Marjolin’s ulcers.

The most deadly and rare complications from bed sores is sepsis, a blood poisoning that means the patient’s blood has reacted to the infection by releasing chemicals that induce inflammation throughout the body. Unchecked, the inflammation can cause organ failure among multiple bodily systems.

Elderly people who are sedentary are most susceptible to bed sores, and are more vulnerable to infections due to weakened immune systems.

In general, nursing home neglect lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

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