NURSING HOME RESIDENTS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DEVELOPING PRESSURE SORES WHEN THEY:

• sit or lie in one position for a long time
• are incontinent
• have diabetes or circulatory problems
• are sedated
• have limited mobility
• lack sensation or have numb areas
• have low blood pressure
• are dehydrated or
• have severe confusion

If pressure sores are not treated, they can lead to infection, surgery or amputation. Many professionals believe pressure sores are 100% preventable except in rare cases. Yet, FRIA gets many calls from relatives who have discovered these sores. They occur even in "good" nursing homes.

THERE ARE WAYS TO PREVENT PRESSURE SORES:

• good nutrition
  
• use of` mattresses and wheel chairs that reduce pressure
  
• frequent change of position
  
• regular exercise
  
• good skin care and
  
•  maintenance of body warmth

Nursing home staff are trained to prevent pressure sores. When there is not enough staff, proper care is not delivered.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Vigilantly monitor your relative. Look for areas where bedsores usually occur (buttocks, heels, elbows, backbone, hips). On residents with light toned skin, areas may appear red. In darker skin tones, they may be darkened, shiny areas that are harder to see.
• You need not leave the room when your relative is being changed unless he or she requests you to. Many families who cared for their relatives at home avoided pressure sores for years. There is no reason to stop observing your relative's condition now.
• Know your relative's care plan. How often is the resident supposed to be turned? How many hours is s/he supposed to be out of bed? Is s/he supposed to have a special mattress or cushion to prevent sores?
• Keep a diary of when your relative is turned and by whom. If s/he is not being turned as often as the care plan indicates, inform the floor nurse.
• If your relative develops a pressure sore that you believe was avoidable, alert FRIA and place a complaint with the New York State Department of Health.

© 1998 - 1999, FRIA