Nursing home neglect of obvious conditions can be so severe that it rises to the level of nursing home abuse. In addition, it is not uncommon to see other types of nursing home neglect when bedsores are present. For example, when a resident is not being turned or repositioned, there may be signs of problems with dehydration or malnutrition from the facility’s failure to provide proper food and water.

In many cases, a nursing home bed sore could have been prevented with proper care or sufficient staffing. Experts agree that the risk of nursing home bed sores can be reduced with regular repositioning of residents. In addition, residents confined to a bed or wheelchair must be inspected consistently for early warning signs.

Bedsores can be life-threatening if they penetrate through the deep layers of skin and muscle or result in an infection. In severe cases, the infection can reach the bloodstream resulting in sepsis.