A healthy diet is a crucial part of every person's health. Denying a person of the food that they need for a healthy and happy life is a cruel form of abuse. But unfortunately, this type of behavior does occur in nursing home facilities. Malnutrition is a huge concern for many elderly adults. Many different medical conditions that affect a great number of elderly adults require that they have assistance eating. If there are not enough staff members, or those staff members are negligent in their responsibilities, these adults may suffer from malnutrition and dehydration.
Malnutrition and dehydration are serious concerns for nursing home occupants. Many of these elderly adults are dependent on their caregivers to make sure they are getting the nutrition they need. If a person is not receiving the sustenance that they need, any other medical conditions they may suffer from can be worsened.
Malnutrition and dehydration can contribute to many dangerous medical conditions. For example, anemia is a dangerous effect of malnutrition that can make any existing health condition even worse. Also, malnutrition affects the nutrients in a person's body that allow for growth which can result in tooth decay and fragile bones.
A study funded by the Commonwealth Fund reported that up to 85% of patients in a nursing home may be malnourished based on the number of staff members in most facilities. This is a serious issue that can affect any nursing home patient. If it occurs over a significant length of time, the effects may be very detrimental.
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