Nursing homes have a duty to provide food that meets the dietary needs of each resident. This includes dietary modifications or restrictions as prescribed by the attending doctor. If you have any specific concerns about your loved one’s diet, then you should discuss those concerns with your loved one’s doctor and with the nursing home facility before your loved one becomes a resident.
There Are Certain Things Kentucky Nursing Homes Must Do
Some facilities are better than others at making food accommodations. However, Kentucky regulations require that nursing homes in the Commonwealth:
- Provide meals that are “planned, written, and rotated to avoid repetition.”
- Account for the resident’s sex, age, activity level and physician orders when serving meals to an individual resident.
- Provide modified diets if there is a written order from a doctor, an advanced practice registered nurse, or a physician assistant.
- Prepare foods in such a way as to conserve nutritive value, flavor, and appearance.
- Serve food “attractively” and at the proper temperature.
- Serve food in a form that meets the individual resident’s needs.
The nursing home also has a duty to provide a nutritional substitution if a resident refuses the food that is served.
How to Know If Your Loved One Is Eating
You can’t be present for every meal, but you can be aware of signs that your loved one is not eating. Some signs may include:
- Unexplained weight loss.
- Wounds that don’t heal as expected.
- Weakness.
- Dizziness.
- Depression.
Not eating enough can be dangerous and it can lead to malnutrition or dehydration.
What to Do If Your Loved One Isn’t Eating
The nursing home is required to monitor what each resident is eating and to address any problems before malnutrition or dehydration creates a serious health risk. If your loved one is a picky eater or is not receiving proper nutrition in a Kentucky nursing home, then it is important to talk to your loved one’s doctor and the food service personnel at your loved one’s nursing home to see what can be done before your loved one suffers a serious injury.
To learn more about how you can help your loved one, please download a free copy of our guide, Fighting Back Against Nursing Home Abuse: What Families Need to Know to Help Their Loved One today.
Has Your Loved One Been Injured In A Nursing Home?
If you believe your loved one is being subjected to nursing home abuse you need to speak with an experienced Kentucky nursing home neglect attorney as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 888.450.4456 to schedule a free consultation.
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