Tampa Dehydration Attorney
Tampa Nursing Home Neglect Attorneys Helping Seniors in Dehydration Claims
Older adults in nursing homes often need constant care, including assistance with medical needs as well as help performing activities of daily living, such as bathing and eating. Given the ways in which seniors rely on nursing home staff for assistance, many nursing home patients are extremely vulnerable and can suffer serious and life-threatening injuries when they do not receive adequate care.
When a senior suffers from dehydration, it can lead to more debilitating injuries, hospitalization, infection, and sometimes even death. In most situations, dehydration results from nursing home neglect, or an unintentional lack of care. A majority of these cases occur when nursing homes are understaffed and do not have sufficient employees to provide the level of care needed by the residents. At the same time, however, seniors can suffer from dehydration as a form of physical abuse in which a caregiver intentionally fails to provide necessary fluids. If you have questions about a dehydration claim, you should learn more by speaking with a Tampa nursing home abuse & neglect attorney.
What is Dehydration?
What is dehydration? According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition of dehydration occurs when a person either uses or loses more fluids than the body takes back in, resulting in the body’s inability to function properly. When the body loses fluids and does not replace them, the body’s condition is known as dehydration.
It is important to understand that any person, regardless of age or health condition, can suffer from dehydration. However, elderly adults are particularly susceptible to dehydration because they “naturally have a lower volume of water in their bodies, and may have conditions or take medications that increase the risk of dehydration.” As such, when a senior has a minor illness, it can result in dehydration without proper care.
Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration in a Tampa Nursing Home
Family members and friends of elderly nursing home residents should always be vigilant when it comes to recognizing signs and symptoms of elder abuse and neglect. The Mayo Clinic cites the following as common signs and symptoms of dehydration in older adults:
- Extreme thirst;
- Infrequent urination;
- Dark-colored urine;
- Fatigue;
- Dizziness; and
- Confusion.
In addition to having a lower fluid reserve that can increase the risk of dehydration, older adults also have a reduced sense of thirst and may not immediately recognize signs of dehydration themselves. When dehydration occurs in a patient with a chronic illness like dementia or diabetes, that patient may not be able to obtain water and other fluids herself. Accordingly, the patient often relies on a nursing home staff member to ensure that the patient remains properly hydrated.
Since dehydration often results from neglect or negligence, it can also occur with malnutrition.
Contact a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Tampa
If you have an elderly loved one in a nursing facility who has suffered injuries as a result of dehydration, you should learn more about filing a nursing home abuse and neglect claim. An experienced Tampa dehydration lawyer can speak with you today about your case. Contact Kohn Law to get started on your claim.
