Nursing homes have an obligation under both federal and state laws to provide a balanced, nutritious diet for residents that promotes overall health and well-being. Dehydration and malnutrition in New Haven nursing homes can put residents at risk for a range of serious physical complications, diseases, and even death.
These terrible instances of a nursing home or its staff’s neglect of duty to residents are far too common and often result from severe cases of negligence. If you detect the signs of dehydration or malnutrition in your loved one, it is vital to act quickly. An attorney can take prompt legal steps to protect your loved one’s rights while putting extensive resources, knowledge, and experience to work to secure the maximum compensation possible.
Elderly nursing home residents often have specific requirements for nutrition and hydration needs. If a resident is experiencing abuse involving dehydration and malnutrition at a New Haven nursing home, the signs will often become increasingly apparent over time.
Certain medications and health conditions may necessitate specific dietary needs because it is more difficult for the resident to retain nutrients from ordinary nutrition. The nursing home facility and its staff should provide individualized care to each patient that conforms to these specific needs, and failure to do so can constitute neglect.
Negligence involving failure to meet a patient’s nutritional needs can take a variety of forms, such as:
Top signs of dehydration and malnutrition can include dry mouth and lips, fatigue, muscle weakness, confusion, and urinary tract infections. Other signs include significant weight loss, dizziness, rapid heart rate, pressure sores, and digestive problems.
A patient who is suffering from dehydration or malnutrition in a New Haven nursing facility may quickly develop other complications beyond nutritional problems. These could include electrolyte imbalances, renal failure, and other internal issues.
If a nursing home or its staff neglect their duties and responsibilities to feed or hydrate a resident properly, they can be legally liable in a civil action. An attorney can probe a suspected situation involving negligence further, speak with nursing facility staff, and review medical records to identify all evidence of negligence.
When a nursing home breaches its duty of care and harms a resident, the victim can be entitled to monetary damages for losses resulting from that abuse or neglect. These monetary damages could include the value of the victim’s pain, suffering, medical expenses, and other losses from their subsequent injuries, infections, or illnesses from dehydration/malnutrition.
Inadequate staffing, lack of qualified staff, and poor training procedures are just a handful of negligent factors that can result in a resident sustaining profound injuries from dehydration or malnutrition in a New Haven nursing home. When nursing homes and assisted living facilities fail to ensure that residents are taking in sufficient hydration and nutrition, the injured resident or their family can often pursue a legal claim.
Do not hesitate to reach out to an experienced attorney at Berkowitz Hanna for legal assistance if you or a loved one have been affected by this type of nursing home negligence. Give our office a call today to set up your free legal consultation and find out what our firm can do for you and your family.
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