Woman dies from infected bed sore at nursing home

Woman Dies from Bed Sore at Nursing Home

Bedsores are lesions caused by unrelieved pressure on the skin. Once bedsores become infected, they become fatal. Bedsores are preventable if patients are moved every two hours.

The woman's daughter said, "You could put your whole hand down in her back. "You could see the bones and spinal cord. It was like raw meat."

The 73 year old woman had 15 grandchildren, many who visited her daily. The family complained that there was only one nurse who would run between floors and had no time to check the patients.

Bedsores are an example of nursing home abuse negligence.

The family wanted to take their mother home but each request was met with denials.
By the time the family saw the bedsore, it was horribly infected and caused the patient much pain.

There is no systemwide recordkeeping of bedsores, so patients or families comparing nursing homes can make informed decisions.