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Aug 13, 2024
Recognizing Signs of UTI in the ElderlyHow can something as serious and life-threatening as bedsores be overlooked by trained professionals? Well, as it turns out, it’s pretty easy. By understanding how bed sores get overlooked, senior care facilities can take steps to protect the residents while also reducing their liability exposures.
Bedsores, also called pressure sores or pressure ulcers, can impact people with mobility issues, for example, when people are restricted to a bed or wheelchair and don’t change positions frequently. Johns Hopkins Medicine says that people who have chronic illnesses such as diabetes, are undernourished, smoke, or have fragile skin are particularly susceptible. Bed sores typically start as red, blue, or purplish patches that don’t turn white when touched and that can turn into blisters or open sores and become infected.
Lawsuits involving bedsores are common. In one case, AboutLawsuits says a Florida assisted living facility received a $12.5 million verdict in a wrongful death lawsuit involving allegations that the facility was negligent in the care given to a resident with Alzheimer’s, resulting in a bedsore and fatal bloodstream infection.
Because of the risk to residents and the potential for litigation, assisted living care providers are highly motivated to watch for bedsores. However, in practical everyday situations, they often get missed. In fact, even with a fully staffed and trained team, you might not notice a bedsore until it’s too late. Often these scenarios involve patient resistance or inspection refusal.
Here’s one example of how it happens.
A resident with mobility issues and symptoms of dementia is incontinent and combative. She needs help with staying clean and showering, but she is highly resistant. Two staff members are needed just to get her into the shower. One person holds and supports her while trying to ensure she doesn’t fall – an extremely challenging task – both because she is struggling to get out and because everything is wet and slippery. The other staff member is washing her while being mindful of the resident’s privacy and dignity during this difficult process.
Later, they learned that the resident had a bed sore forming. Unfortunately, they didn’t see it because they were preoccupied with the immediate task of getting the resident safely showered.
In other scenarios, the resident may not be showing signs of dementia. While this means the resident may not be as combative, it also means the resident may refuse to be inspected. It’s not a process that many people find dignified, even if it is necessary.
In ideal situations, bedsores would not be overlooked, but the reality is that situations often aren’t ideal, frequently for reasons that are out of the control of the facility and its staff.
What can facility operators do?
There’s one more thing that senior care facilities can do to control their risks: secure adequate insurance coverage. If you’re faced with a lawsuit, insurance coverage can help you with your defense as well as any settlements or judgments. Check your policy for restrictions, exclusions, and limits to verify that you have sufficient coverage for lawsuits involving bedsores.
Do you have the residential care home insurance you need to protect your facility against business income loss? Tangram provides residential care facility insurance through the Personal Care & Assisted Living Insurance Center (PCALIC). Learn more.