Dehydration in Nursing Homes

When our loved ones enter into a nursing home facility, we are operating under the belief that they will receive the care and support that they truly deserve. Unfortunately, due to facilities being understaffed, running on too low of a budget or having staff that is abusive in nature, our loved ones do not always receive the care that they fully deserve. This can cause them to be the victims of active abuse and/or passive negligence, which can cause serious injuries and even life-threatening conditions. One of the most prevalent signs of nursing home abuse is that of dehydration. This is not only a painful condition, it can also be life-threatening if it is not diagnosed and treated quickly enough.

How to Identify Dehydration

It is common knowledge that our human bodies are composed of 75% water – this means that we not only desire water, we depend on it. Unfortunately, throughout the day, we are consistently losing water at a rapid pace. From sweating, breathing out humidified air, and urinating, the average person loses water every hour.

To help keep out bodies running normally, we are required to replace this water. For the average 150-pound person, they need to consume 65 ounces of water every single day to supplement this loss. What, however, happens if we don’t receive this necessary water? Victims of nursing home abuse are forced to face this possibility. When neglected or when water is purposefully kept away from them, serious symptoms can occur.

Some warning signs of dehydration include the following:

  • Dry mouth;
  • Inability to make tears;
  • Cramping muscles;
  • Upset stomach and vomiting;
  • Lightheadedness; and
  • Weakness

If the dehydration progresses far enough, this could also turn into a coma or even an organ failure. In some cases, a wrongful death can occur if the person goes a long enough time without receiving the necessary amount of water.

Why Hire a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney?

At Pacific Attorney Group, we recognize the extent at which nursing home abuse can affect the victims. For this reason, we remain unwaveringly committed to helping them to fight for fair financial compensation in every way possible. Should you choose to work with our legal team, you will be able to rest easier knowing that we will go the distance in our efforts to provide our clients with hard-hitting representation when they need it most. By providing thorough, supportive guidance, we will do everything that we can to give our clients the edge that they need in their personal injury claim.