Nursing Home Malnutrition & Dehydration Attorney
Nursing homes have a responsibility to care for our elderly or disabled loved ones. We entrust nursing homes and other long-term care facilities with our most vulnerable family members, expecting them to be appropriately cared for. Two of the most basic services we reasonably expect them to provide are proper fluids and nutrition. Sometimes, elderly folks need assistance eating and drinking; nursing homes are supposed to account for that need as well. Unfortunately, neglectful nursing homes fail to ensure that their residents are taking in the proper amount and balance of food and fluids. Dehydration and malnutrition are significant causes of injury and illness among the elderly and other vulnerable populations.
If you are concerned that your elderly family member is being neglected in a New Jersey nursing home, contact the nursing home malnutrition & dehydration lawyer at Lance Brown & Associates to investigate. We fight for the rights of New Jersey nursing home residents to be adequately cared for and free from negligence and neglect. Dehydration and malnutrition are simple problems to avoid with proper care, while the consequences for failing to ensure that nursing home residents receive proper nutrition can be severe and deadly.
Your Family is Entitled to Quality Care
Caretakers and nurses have a legal responsibility to take care of residents in accordance with New Jersey state and federal laws. If nursing home staff fail to ensure that residents get proper hydration and nutrition, they are breaking the law. Federal law requires that nursing homes do the following:
- Ensure that residents receive sufficient nutrition and maintain acceptable body weight unless a different medical condition prevents the resident from doing so
- Make sure that residents take in the proper fluids and remain appropriately hydrated
- Treat malnutrition or dehydration as soon as there are any signs or symptoms, making sure that the resident benefits from a proper diet
If you or a relative is under the care of a nursing home and is suffering from dehydration or malnutrition due to neglect, speak with a nursing home negligence and abuse attorney immediately to discuss your options. You have the right to demand proper care and protect your loved one. You may also be entitled to financial compensation for any harm that has come to your family. New Jersey nursing home dehydration & malnutrition attorney Lance Brown can help.
Signs and Symptoms of Malnutrition or Dehydration
Malnutrition and dehydration may not present symptoms that are as obvious as other forms of nursing home abuse. There may not be unexplained bruises, broken bones, or bedsores in your elderly loved one, but malnutrition and dehydration are no less damaging. There are signs to watch out for if you suspect your loved one’s nursing home has been neglectful.
Symptoms of malnutrition or dehydration include:
- Sudden weight loss
- Dry, cracked lips
- Dry or ashy skin
- Extreme thirst or hunger
- Behavioral and cognitive changes, such as confusion or memory loss
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Dark-colored urine
- Vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
Dangers of Malnutrition and Dehydration
Elderly and disabled folks require care, attention, and proper nutrition. They are at higher risk for many kinds of health issues, and a failure to keep them properly hydrated and fed can put them at serious risk of complications. Keeping proper fluid intake is not difficult and should be a bare minimum for any nursing home.
The risks of severe dehydration and malnutrition include:
- Confusion and disorientation
- Urinary tract infections
- Bedsores
- Weakened immune system
- Death
- Anemia
- Renal failure
- Increased risk of infection
- Loss of muscle mass
- Seizures
- Weakness, increasing the likelihood of trips and falls
- Pneumonia
If you suspect your family member is suffering from malnutrition or dehydration, you need to act to protect them as soon as possible. New Jersey nursing home negligence lawyer Lance Brown will help you ensure that your loved one receives the care they deserve and that negligent nursing homes are held to task for any illness or injury they cause.
Call a Nursing Home Malnutrition and Dehydration Attorney Today
If you notice any signs of malnutrition or dehydration in your elderly loved one residing in a New Jersey nursing home, contact Lance Brown & Associates to speak with an experienced nursing home neglect lawyer who can help you get the care and attention you need.
