Malnutrition in Nursing Homes
When elderly people are abused, studies show that their risk of dying more than doubles. As a Delaware attorney, I'm extremely concerned about how many elderly people are subjected to abuse in nursing homes. There are many types of abuse. There’s physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. This is the first in a series of articles about elder abuse in nursing homes. In this article, let’s talk about malnutrition, which is one form of neglect.
Malnutrition can occur if you don’t eat enough food or if you don’t get the right vitamins in your diet. If malnutrition isn’t treated, it can cause mental or physical disability, illness, and sometimes death.
Federal law requires nursing homes to assess the nutritional status of its residents at the time of admission and at regular intervals of at least every three months. The nutritional assessment should identify whether the resident is at her ideal body weight and whether the resident is at risk for malnutrition and dehydration. The nursing home is required to provide for the resident’s nutritional health based on the nutritional assessment. This includes providing “well-balanced, palatable meals.”
What are the signs of malnutrition? They can vary, but common signs are fatigue, dizziness and weight loss. Other signs include:
clothes fit more loosely than usual
there are cracks around the mouth
lips and mouth look pale
dentures no longer fit
hair has been thinning or growing more sparse
wounds seem to take longer to heal
the resident appears confused (not as a result of a disease such as Alzheimer's)
the skin is breaking down
the eyes look sunken
If you suspect that an elderly person is being abused, neglected, or exploited in Delaware, call this hotline: (800) 223-9074.
