Malnutrition
One of the most important duties of many nursing homes is to provide healthy, nutritious meals to their residents. Many nursing home residents, however, are suffering from malnutrition, either because they cannot physically eat their meals, or because they are being deprived of the food they need.
Malnutrition can range from simply not eating enough when food is provided to severe malnourishment that can result in hospitalization. While abusive nursing home staff putting food out of reach can cause malnutrition, the more common causes of malnutrition include:
- Drug Interactions – When drugs are over-prescribed or when they have adverse interactions, it can prevent residents from keeping food down and digesting it properly
- Drug Side Effects – Some drugs, like serious painkillers prescribed for cancer and other illnesses, cause nursing home residents to lose their appetite so that they don’t eat the food they need
- Depression – Whether it is caused by drug side effects, aging, or nursing home neglect, depression can take a toll on the body and make people feel like they don’t want to eat anything
No matter what the cause may be, malnutrition needs to be corrected as early as possible. Once malnutrition progresses into severe phases, it can cause organ malfunction, wrongful death, hair loss, and other medical problems.
If you believe your family member is suffering from malnutrition at their nursing home, you may be able to recover compensation for their injuries. Please contact the experienced nursing home abuse attorneys at Cullan & Cullan today to learn more about nursing home neglect and abuse.