When we place an elderly loved one into a nursing home it’s typically because we know they require a high level of daily care for their health and safety. We expect them to receive the care, compassion, and respect for their dignity that they deserve. Despite the glossy brochures, many nursing homes do not deliver the consistent care they promise. Nursing home neglect and abuse cases are sadly common in the United States. Overworked, understaffed caregivers, negligent hiring and training practices, and rapid employee turnover rates all contribute to the neglect of elderly nursing home residents. One of the most egregious forms of nursing home neglect occurs when a lack of adequate care causes a resident’s infection or illness to develop into deadly sepsis. One study reveals that out of nursing home patients transferred to hospitals each year who later died, 25,000 of them died of sepsis. But what is sepsis and how does neglect contribute to the often fatal condition in elderly patients?
What is Sepsis, and Why is it a Consistent Problem in Nursing Homes?
When the body fights a serious, ongoing infection, inflammation sometimes causes an overreaction by the body that triggers an attack on the disease. Unfortunately, this causes a chain reaction that also attacks healthy cells in the organ systems. Sometimes called “blood poisoning” this chain reaction causes organ shutdown and death if not promptly targeted and treated with powerful antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications. In nursing homes, infections and viruses spread quickly among residents. When left unchecked, an illness or infected bed sores can cause deadly sepsis in the vulnerable elderly population. Elderly patients often have compromised immune systems, diabetes, chronic urinary tract infections, and bed sores, all of which contribute to the development of sepsis. Nursing home caregivers have a duty of care toward elderly residents, including containing the spread of bacteria and viruses, promptly identifying and treating infections, and protecting residents against developing deadly sepsis from unchecked infections.Signs of Sepsis in Ill or Elderly Residents
Sepsis develops as a result of the body’s reaction to an infection. In the elderly, sepsis begins in patients who are ill due to a viral or bacterial infection. When the condition becomes sepsis, the patient may develop the following symptoms:- Fever
- Rapid heartbeat
- Rapid breathing
- Confusion
- Lack of urination
- Abdominal pain