Dehydration & Malnutrition
Professional caregivers, nursing homes, and other assisted living facilities must ensure that elderly individuals have their basic needs met. This includes providing adequate nourishment and preventing dehydration and malnutrition, both of which can lead to serious or even fatal health problems.
Malnourishment—and related complications—is one of the surest signs of nursing home neglect. If your elderly loved one suffered dehydration or malnutrition while in the care of an assisted living facility, skilled nursing facility, adult daycare, or in-home caregiver, Lanzone Morgan can help. Our California dehydration and malnutrition attorneys can assist you in bringing a nursing home abuse claim against the liable party and seeking the justice you and your family deserve. We have successfully recovered millions of dollars on behalf of our clients, and we are ready to fight for the full, fair recovery you are owed.
For a free, confidential consultation, call us at (562) 512-5505 or contact us online using our secure submission form.
According to various reports, as many as 40 percent of assisted living and long-term care facility residents suffer from malnourishment. Most often, this is a result of negligence by the facility and/or its staff. When nursing homes and other care facilities fail to properly provide for residents’ basic nutrition and hydration needs, residents are vulnerable to significant health risks.
Some examples of negligent nursing home practices and forms of abuse that may lead to dehydration and/or malnutrition include:
At Lanzone Morgan, we know how to determine when a caregiver or nursing home’s negligence contributed to or caused severe dehydration or malnutrition, leading to bodily injury, illness, and other complications, including death. If you suspect that your loved one was undernourished as a result of nursing home abuse, get in touch with our California dehydration and malnutrition attorneys right away.
Dehydration and malnutrition are serious conditions that may lead to life-threatening complications. This is especially true in older adults who tend to have various co-occurring and underlying conditions, such as diabetes or weakened immune systems, that make it harder for them to fight off the effects of dehydration and malnutrition.
Some of the most common health risks associated with dehydration include:
Common health problems associated with malnutrition include:
As individuals age, they tend to experience changes in appetite and eating habits. However, nursing home staff and other caregivers should adequately address these changes and take measures to prevent serious dehydration and malnutrition.
It is important that you are able to recognize the signs of dehydration and malnutrition in your elderly loved one. By noticing the signs, you can speak to nursing home staff and caregivers right away about your concerns. If your loved one suffers an injury, illness, or medical condition related to dehydration and/or malnutrition, you may have grounds for a nursing home abuse or neglect claim.
Some of the main signs of serious dehydration include:
Signs of severe, life-threatening dehydration include hyperventilation, weak pulse, rapid heartbeat, seizures, and vomiting.
Malnutrition can often be detected with the following signs:
Malnutrition can also cause new or worsened mental health symptoms, such as depression, irritability, anxiety, and mood swings. Severe malnutrition can lead to life-threatening infections and death.
If your elderly loved one suffered from dehydration or malnutrition, leading to serious injury or other health complications, you could have a claim against the nursing home or even a specific caregiver who failed to adequately provide for your loved one’s needs.
It is important that you first report suspected abuse to the proper authorities. You can raise your concerns with the nursing home staff or administrators, your loved one’s doctor, the state’s Adult Protective Services (APS) agency, or even the local authorities. If you suspect that your loved one (or anyone else) is in imminent danger, call 911. If necessary, you should remove your elderly loved one from the nursing home or assisted living facility right away and ensure they get the attention and care they need.
It is also a good idea to consult with an experienced nursing home abuse and neglect attorney about your legal rights and options. At Lanzone Morgan, our California nursing home dehydration and malnutrition lawyers provide highly personalized and empathetic legal counsel. We can help you determine who is liable for your loved one’s injuries and damages, as well as prepare your case, communicate with the appropriate parties, and seek the maximum compensation you and your family are owed. We strive to recover a fair settlement or verdict to assist our clients with unexpected medical expenses associated with their loved one’s injuries, as well as their pain, suffering, and related damages.
Call us today at (562) 512-5505 or submit a free online case evaluation form and a member of our team will be in touch with you shortly.
