Malnutrition: A Key Indicator of Elder Neglect or Abuse
When you visit your elderly parent in a nursing home or private care facility, you can get a good idea of the overall quality of care simply by observing whether your mother or father is getting enough to eat. If you suspect that improper nutrition is playing a role in your parent's chronic illness, depression or failure to heal from bedsores, contact Fein, Flynn & Associates in Tucson for a free consultation.
Call 520-547-7940 or 800-882-0828 for Advice About Malnutrition in Arizona Nursing Homes
Malnutrition can serve as a sign of more general neglect on the part of the nursing home, or it can stand alone as a violation of the facility's responsibility to provide a safe and secure home for people who can't look after themselves. The lawyers of Fein, Flynn & Associates investigate negligence and abuse claims against nursing homes involving:
- Rapid or excessive weight loss
- Bed sores
- Falls
- Elopement or wandering
- Constant hunger or thirst
- Overuse of IVs or feeding tubes
- Poor oral hygiene and dental care
- Failure to help residents with dentures before meals
- Missed communications between doctors or nurses and staff concerning a resident's dietary needs
- Choking incidents at meals
- Misuse of medication to depress the appetite
- Control of resident behavior through denying or limiting food
Improper nutritional practices can lead to serious illness and life-threatening degrees of malnutrition or dehydration. They can also do a great deal to detract from an elder's quality of life, sense of dignity, and interest in living.
For specific legal advice about your family's situation, get the advice of an attorney who knows how to assess and present the facts indicating malnutrition in a broader context of elder neglect or abuse. Contact Fein, Flynn & Associates in Tucson.
