Friday, June 7, 2013

Malnutrition in Nursing Homes


For many people, it can be difficult to turn over the health care of loved ones to a nursing home. Due to the fragile nature of an elderly individual, the care they receive is going to be essential to their health. Unfortunately, this care can not always be trusted. The number of nursing home malpractice cases is growing. One of the many ways that we are seeing negligent care in the nursing homes is in the failure of these homes to feed their residents the essential nutrients they need to remain healthy.

The following are vitamins that must be included in an elder's diet. The medical professionals have this knowledge, and therefore there is no reason why they should be ignoring these essential foods.

  • Iron

  • Calcium

  • B Vitamins

  • K Vitamins

These vitamins should be included in every person's diet. However, due to a weakening immune system, it is essential that elder's consume these vitamins regularly to prevent sickness that could become life threatening.

Malnutrition is a common cause of illness in nursing homes. Recognizing the signs of malnutrition will probably fall into the hands of the victim's family. They will know the normal mental and physical habits of their loved ones. Therefore if there is a drastic change in their health, they will most likely be the first to notice a change in their health. The symptoms of elder malnutrition include weakness, fatigue, abnormal skin color, and a changed mental state. If these are recognized, it is important to look through what vitamins and foods the victim may be missing.

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