Nursing Home Lawyer in Bloomington, IL
If your loved one is experiencing malnutrition while staying at a nursing home, a lawyer in Bloomington, Illinois can help.
It’s no secret that as we get older, our appetite fades. Sometimes we just aren’t as interested in eating as we used to be, and our taste buds change over time. In other cases, our elderly relatives may be prescribed medication that makes certain foods taste bad, and if your loved one has suffered a stroke they might have problems eating, too.
All of these changes are natural and largely unavoidable, but they can result in malnutrition in our older relatives. Knowing the causes behind poor nutrition is important, but it’s even more important to know what sort of signs to be looking for if you’re worried that your loved one isn’t eating as healthily (or as much) as they should.
What are the signs of malnutrition?
When you visit your loved one in the nursing home, it pays to look for certain behaviors that might show that they’re being malnourished. Before you contact a nursing home lawyer in Bloomington, IL, you should take steps to understand the extent of any abuse your relatives might be suffering through. There are a few major warning signs to recognize:
- Bad mood or depression: Settling into a new nursing home might cause some stress and frustration, but if it continues it could be a sign of something more serious. When we aren’t fed enough, we get moody and temperamental – and the same applies for your loved ones living in nursing homes.
- Loose-fitting clothing: If your relative isn’t openly communicating their nutrition problems, you might need to resort to a little detective work. If their clothing is suddenly very loose, it could indicate they aren’t being fed enough, and are loosing weight as a result. This can be especially dangerous for our older relatives.
- Low energy: We all slow down as we get older, but have you noticed that your loved one has been a little too slow lately? Be on the lookout for sudden drops in energy level, as well as a general disinterest in activities you know your loved one typically enjoys.
There are many other signs of malnutrition to be aware of if you’re hoping to keep your loved one healthy. If they have experienced injuries that don’t seem to heal, or they have expired food in their refrigerator, for example, it may indicate malnutrition.
It’s important to stay vigilant about how much your loved one has been eating: Aside from the obvious health problems that can arise from malnutrition, there could be something much more sinister at play.
Nursing home abuse? Contact Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols today.
Most nursing homes are reputable establishments. They provide care for our aging relatives, and they are attentive to their needs. But unfortunately, there are some that don’t provide the care that our loved ones deserve. Malnutrition in a nursing home could indicate a deeper problem, and although your relative may be hesitant to talk about their problems, nursing home abuse can be hiding in plain sight.
If you suspect your loved one has been experiencing malnutrition, neglect, and even physical abuse in a nursing home, contact Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols today, and see how a nursing home lawyer in Bloomington, IL, can help you both get the compensation and justice you deserve.
