Before we begin a discussion about what causes bedsores in nursing homes to occur among the elderly in assisted living facilities, it’s important to understand exactly to what we refer.

According to WebMD, bedsores are sometimes more commonly known as “pressure” sores in that they crop up in people that remain sedentary and in one position for long periods of time.

The unending pressure—particularly on the bony areas of the body such as the skull, shoulder blades, hip bones, heels, and ankles—cause damage to the upper layer of skin or epidermis. While they can occur in younger people confined due to illness or paralysis to bed or a wheelchair, bedsores in nursing homes or in senior citizens cared for in other settings are much more common.

Do Bedsores in Nursing Homes Happen More Frequently than When an Elder is Cared For by a Family Member at Home?

The answer to this would depend upon how attentive the family is in the home setting. Because these are caused by continual pressure on the same areas of the body, the more the bedridden or wheelchair-bound person is turned, encouraged to shift position, or assisted to walk to take small ambulatory actions within their capabilities, the better.

Nevertheless, a family member’s best plans still often fail and the beginning stages of pressure sores can be seen. Quick intervention by a caregiver along with medical attention can make the difference in how severe the sore becomes.

According to a July 2018 PBS article, new federal data at that time indicated that the majority of nursing homes had less nurses and adjunct caretaking staff than the administration of those homes had reported to the U.S. government. The data supported ideas held and complained about by families throughout the nation that nursing home staffing levels were sometimes wholly inadequate to the task.

The result of this was that when the schedule was depleted with necessary people, those on duty were forced to care for double the amount of people than when the staffing was at its best. This undoubtedly meant that their were more opportunities elders to remain in one position without needed turning to prevent bedsores.

What Does a Bedsore Look Like and What are Its Stages?

If your elderly parent or other one is in the care of a nursing home, it’s important that you know what the beginning of a bedsore looks like so you can be their best advocate.

The warning signs of a pressure sore beginning, according to the Mayo Clinic, include a reddening or other change in skin color, a change in skin texture—often from firm to soggy, a change in temperature of the skin in a patchy area from surrounding tissue, inflammation, and leakage of pus.

This description is what is known as Stage One in the bedsore family, according to WebMD. Adequate blood flow is not getting to the region, but moving every couple of hours, washing and padding the area might allow the sore to heal within a few days. Stage Two bedsores go a lot deeper and appear open or as a blister—this is also known as ulceration.

At this stage, the wound is painful and pain medication might be necessary before cleaning. The remedy of dressing, padding, and removing pressure is the same. The sore needs to be examined for possible infection. If treated, it can possible be remediated within three weeks.

The third and fourth stages of bedsores need far more care and may involve the removal of dead tissue and the use of antibiotics. The sore can look like a crater and the tissue may look blackened. It is not uncommon for there to be a very vile odor.

At this stages, a pressure sore can have a permanent effect on the use of muscles and certain ligaments but, with specialized treatment, it may be resolved within a few months.

If you believe your loved one has fallen victim to nursing home neglect, litigation may be an option.