Nursing home weight loss may be a bad sign
If you have a parent or relative in a nursing home, you are trusting that the nursing home staff will care and provide for them. Imagine your dismay when you visit your loved one and find them much thinner than they should be.
According to a recent investigation undertaken by the federal government, nursing home weight loss isn’t such a rare occurrence; 43% of nursing home residents were found to be critically underweight. Nonetheless, losing weight while in a nursing home is unacceptable, especially when you examine the reasons as to why older residents lose weight.
What to look for
When a nursing home resident is rapidly losing weight, a variety of reasons may be responsible, including:
- Food quality. Nursing homes are responsible for providing well-balanced, nutritious food for residents. However, some facilities cut corners to save money which compromises the food quality. As a result, residents are not receiving the necessary daily amount of nutrients.
- Problems eating. Many older residents are unable to chew and swallow food, so they require either assistance with feeding or need pureed food. It is the nursing home’s responsibility to provide these options.
- Withholding food. A lot of nursing homes may be withholding food, albiet unintentionally, by not offering snacks in between meals. Although it doesn’t seem like a big deal, if residents are not consuming enough calories, such as snacks between meals, then they are at risk for weight loss.
- Malnutrition or dehydration. Usually linked to withholding of food, malnutrition isn’t always apparent since it usually occurs slowly, over a period of months. If you notice your loved one is thinner, weaker and sickly in appearance, malnutrition may be the culprit. Just as the name states, the best cure for malnutrition is a balanced diet and ready access to food. Symptoms of dehydration are very similar although the cause is typically the withholding of water.
It’s not too late
If you have observed that your loved one has experienced weight loss, the nursing home may be at fault. You must act quickly so that your parent’s or relative’s health is not compromised by malnutrition.
Demand a consultation with a nutritionist and a doctor in order to create a meal program to help your loved one get back to a healthy weight. Discuss options with the nursing home to provide snacks, shakes, and even tube feedings to help your relative gain weight.
Worst case scenario, if your loved one dies as a result of significant weight loss, you should consider opening an investigation into the nursing home health issues that may have been responsible. Even if you just suspect that the nursing home has been negligent, you should pursue a nursing home injury investigation by talking with an elder abuse attorney.
If you are a California resident, contact the Law Offices of Scott S. Harris, APLC, to schedule your free initial consultation. Working alongside local agencies to investigate claims of nursing home abuse and neglect, Scott S. Harris is sure to get to the bottom of why your relative is losing weight.