Many bed-ridden or immobile nursing home residents develop pressure sores or decubitus ulcers. These horrible wounds can and should be prevented by frequent repositioning of the resident, along with good hydration and nutrition.
Despite the pain and humiliation caused by these wounds, they really get scary when the wound becomes infected.
I recently became aware of a case where a 64 man, suffering from diabetes, entered a nursing home after undergoing a finger amputation. After about a month, he developed a Stage IV pressure sore on his left heel and other pressure sores. He underwent painful deep-wound debridements but later required amputation of his left leg above the knee.
He sued the nursing home and its owner, alleging improper staffing and training; failure to establish an appropriate care plan, including one to prevent and treat decubitus ulcers; violation of federal regulations mandating notification of family members after a significant change of condition; and failure to keep complete and accurate records.
Most importantly he won his suit…holding the nursing home accountable for their negligence.
My Take: If your loved one develops a pressure sore or decubitus ulcer, make sure they are regularly seen by their doctor and closely monitored for signs of infection. If those signs are present, aggressive antibiotic therapy should be followed.