What Are Bedsores in Nursing Homes?
Bedsores are painful wounds that develop when prolonged pressure cuts off blood flow to the skin. You may also hear them called pressure ulcers or pressure sores.
Without enough blood flow, the skin begins to break down. What starts as redness can quickly become deep tissue injuries that expose muscle or bone if left untreated, leading to serious complications like infections or even death.
Some people may be at a higher risk of nursing home abuse injuries like bedsores if they have limited mobility, dementia, or other health conditions that make it difficult to change positions on their own.
Inattentive, poorly trained, or stressed facility employees can also provide poor care, neglecting residents and causing bedsores in nursing home patients. When that happens, the resident or their loved ones may be eligible ot file a nursing home lawsuit.
Get your free case review today to learn about your legal rights.
What Causes Bedsores in Nursing Homes?
Seeing bedsores on your loved one can leave you searching for answers. Understanding what causes these wounds can also help you recognize when they may have been preventable.
Several factors can cause bedsores in nursing homes, including:
- Friction: Skin rubbing against bedding, clothing, or wheelchairs can weaken the skin and lead to breakdown.
- Moisture: Incontinence, sweat, and moisture may soften the skin and make pressure injuries more likely.
- Pressure: Remaining in one position for too long reduces blood flow to the skin, causing tissue damage.
- Shear: Shearing occurs when the skin stays in place while deeper tissue and bones are pulled down, such as when someone slides down while resting on an inclined bed.
- Understaffing: When nursing homes don’t have enough caregivers, residents may not receive timely repositioning, hygiene assistance, or wound care.
Treating bedsores in nursing homes may be possible if the caregiving team acts quickly. When they don’t, their neglect could cause a bedsore to worsen to the point where it requires emergency medical treatment.
What Makes Bedsores Worse in Nursing Homes?
Nursing home residents rely on caregivers for everyday needs, including repositioning, bathing, eating, and skin checks. When caregivers delay or overlook these services, bedsores can develop quickly.
These factors can make nursing home bedsores worse:
- Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease
- Diabetes or vascular disease
- Incontinence
- Limited mobility
- Low body weight or fragile skin
- Poor nutrition or malnutrition
- Recent surgery or illness
While anyone can develop bedsores in nursing homes, the injuries may be a warning sign of nursing home neglect. Her Case Matters could help you seek a settlement.
Call us at (877) 814-3168 if you’re interested in filing a bedsore lawsuit. Our team will listen to your concerns and help you understand if you may qualify.
Where Do Nursing Home Bedsores Usually Form?
Bedsores or pressure injuries most often develop over bony areas of the body, where little cushioning exists between the skin and bone. Knowing where bedsores commonly develop can help you spot them sooner, especially if your loved one can’t tell you where they’re hurting.
Bedsores in nursing homes may form in areas like:
- Ankles
- Back
- Back of the head
- Elbows
- Heels
- Hips
- Shoulder blades
- Tailbone
Checking these areas regularly helps nursing home staff members identify pressure ulcers before they become severe. If those employees become neglectful, residents may experience preventable bedsore complications that result in hospitalization or premature death.
How Common Are Bedsores in Nursing Homes?
The International Journal of Nursing Studies reviewed 55 bedsore studies and found that an average of 10.4% of nursing home residents experienced them, or around 1 in 10 people.
Nursing home bedsores are common, but they may be preventable. Proper care means residents won’t have too much pressure on areas with minimal cushioning between their skin and bones.
If your loved one suffered from bedsores in nursing homes, they may have experienced harm that was avoidable.
Stages of Bedsores in Nursing Home Residents
There are four stages of bedsores and a fifth category that’s called unstageable. Higher bedsore stages indicate a more severe wound.
These are the medically recognized bedsore stages:
- Stage 1: The skin remains intact but appears red, purple, or discolored. The area may feel painful, warm, or firm.
- Stage 2: The skin breaks open, creating a shallow wound or blister.
- Stage 3: The ulcer extends into fatty tissue beneath the skin and becomes much more serious.
- Stage 4: The deepest wounds expose muscle, tendons, or bone, and carry a high risk of infection.
- Unstageable: Sometimes dead tissue covers the wound, making it impossible to determine its full depth until the damaged tissue is removed.
Bedsores in nursing homes can worsen quickly when they are left unattended due to staffing shortages or poor quality care. People file nursing home bedsore claims to hold those facilities accountable and seek a settlement for the harm done to their loved one.
Complications of Nursing Home Bedsores
Your loved one should never have to face long-term harm caused by an injury that could have been prevented. But without prompt treatment, bedsores can become life-threatening.
Possible complications of bedsores in nursing homes include:
- Amputation
- Bacterial infections like septicemia and cellulitis
- Bacterial meningitis (infection in the brain or spinal cord)
- Bone infections
- Chronic pain
- Endocarditis (inflammation in the heart)
- Group A streptococcus infections
- Joint infections
- Sepsis
- Sinus tracts that lead the infection to other parts of the body
- Wrongful death
Emotional distress is an added challenge for anyone who’s helping their loved one recover from nursing home bedsores or related complications. When the harm could have been prevented, families deserve to seek justice.
Are Bedsores a Sign of Nursing Home Neglect?
Bedsores aren’t always a sign of neglect. However, preventing bedsores in nursing homes may be possible when the caring team follows accepted standards of care.
Warning signs that a bedsore could stem from neglect include:
- Bedsores that continue to worsen
- Delayed medical care
- Malnutrition or dehydration
- Missed repositioning schedules
- Poor hygiene
- Understaffed caregiving teams
- Untreated wounds
If you suspect your older loved one is not being cared for properly in their long-term care facility, don’t hesitate to report the nursing home abuse to state authorities, like Adult Protective Services (APS). Your loved one deserves quality, dignified, and compassionate care during their golden years.
You can also contact our team to pursue compensation for bedsore treatment costs or relocation to a different nursing home. We may be able to connect you to elder abuse attorneys if you qualify.
How Are Bedsores Treated in Nursing Home Residents?
Treatment for nursing home bedsores depends on how advanced they have become. If your loved one has developed a bedsore, getting medical care as quickly as possible is essential.
Bedsores in nursing homes may require treatments like:
- Antibiotics for infection
- Care from wound care specialists
- Debridement to remove damaged tissue
- Frequent repositioning
- Nutritional support
- Regular wound care
- Specialized wavy mattresses
- Surgery for severe pressure ulcers
Early treatment often leads to better outcomes when it comes to bedsores and may prevent your loved one from facing serious complications.
Can You Sue for Nursing Home Bedsores?
Many families don’t immediately think about taking legal action when their loved one has nursing home bedsores. They’re focused on getting them essential care.
When medical bills, hospital fees, and relocating to a new nursing home start to add up, you may start to think about a nursing home bedsore lawsuit. You don’t have to navigate the legal process alone.
Take these steps when neglect or abuse causes bedsores in nursing homes:
- Get a free case review: Talk with our patient advocates about your loved one’s bedsores and whether they may qualify for a bedsore lawsuit.
- Collect evidence: If you’re eligible, we’ll connect you with a bedsore lawyer who will gather evidence like medical records and nursing home documentation to strengthen your claim.
- File your bedsore lawsuit: Your bedsore attorney will file your lawsuit in the proper court before your state’s filing deadline passes.
- Take care of your loved one: Focus on taking care of your family while your lawyer negotiates a settlement to save you from the hassle of going to court, if possible.
Nursing home abuse lawsuits help families pursue accountability and compensation for bedsores that were preventable. Even if your loved one passed away from bedsore complications, you may be eligible for wrongful death damages.
Reach out today to ask questions and figure out your next steps.
Get Help After Experiencing Bedsores in Nursing Homes
Watching your loved one suffer from preventable nursing home bedsores can be devastating. You shouldn’t have to wonder whether more could have been done.
Her Case Matters helps women after their family members experience bedsores in nursing homes. If you qualify, we’ll connect you with experienced bedsores attorneys who understand these cases.
Reach out to us to:
- Talk about your concerns and determine what happened.
- Figure out your legal options.
- Get support from a bedsore lawyer.
- Pursue compensation for the harm done to your loved one.
Get a free case review or call us at (877) 814-3168 if you believe neglect contributed to your loved one’s injuries. We can help you understand whether you’re seeing signs of nursing home abuse and qualify to work with our partner lawyers.
Bedsores in Nursing Homes FAQs
Can you sue a nursing home for bedsores?
Yes, you may be able to sue a nursing home for bedsores if they were caused by abuse or neglect. Our team can listen to your experience and help you understand if either form of abuse was the cause of your loved one’s nursing home bedsores.
If so, we’ll connect you with a nursing home abuse lawyer who can negotiate a settlement on your behalf. Lawsuit compensation can help cover expenses related to bedsores in nursing homes, such as medical bills, funeral costs, and relocation to a safer facility.
Contact us now to take the first step.
Do bedsores mean neglect in nursing homes?
Bedsores aren’t always the result of neglect in nursing homes. Some residents develop pressure ulcers despite appropriate care, particularly if they have limited mobility or thin skin due to a medical condition.
However, many nursing home bedsores are preventable with regular repositioning. When that doesn’t happen due to neglect or abuse, bedsores may be more likely.
What is an end-of-life bedsore?
Also known as a Kennedy ulcer, an end-of-life bedsore can appear when the skin starts to shut down as someone’s body prepares to pass away.
Well-trained nursing home or hospice employees can help you understand if that’s the cause of your loved one’s pressure ulcers. If you’re concerned, you can always seek a second opinion.
How long can a person live with a stage 4 bedsore?
There’s no official research into how long a person can live with a stage 4 bedsore, because many factors can affect a person’s outcome. If someone has a compromising health condition or doesn’t get medical care quickly, they may not live as long as other patients.
When people experience bedsores in nursing homes, the key is getting them medical attention quickly. Treating early-stage bedsores is crucial to preventing them from worsening into later stages, where severe complications can be deadly.
What does a stage 4 bedsore look like?
A stage 4 bedsore may look like a deep wound that exposes tendons, muscles, or bone. If they become infected, it can reach the bones or bloodstream and cause life-threatening complications.
Nursing home teams can spot bedsores long before they reach stage 4. When a person’s deep tissue injury becomes that bad, they may be able to file a bedsore lawsuit to seek compensation.
Are nursing homes responsible for bedsores?
Nursing homes may be responsible for a person’s bedsores if they’re the result of elder abuse or neglect. Bedsores in nursing homes may affect 1 in 10 residents, but they shouldn’t threaten your loved one’s health.
If you believe your loved one’s bedsores resulted from poor care, delayed treatment, or neglect, speaking with a nursing home abuse attorney can help you understand your legal options.
Call us today at (877) 814-3168 to discuss your concerns.
How are bedsores treated in a nursing home?
Nursing home teams may treat bedsores in various ways, depending on their stage. A stage 1 bedsore may only require a moisture barrier like a bandage and less pressure on the area. More severe bedstore stages could require medical intervention or surgery.
When nursing home employees treat a bedsore, they may take extra steps like changing the resident’s meals to improve their nutrient intake or providing a more supportive mattress. It depends on the facility’s funding and capabilities.
How much does it cost to treat bedsores?
The American Journal of Surgery found that bedsores developed outside of hospitals cost an average of $124,327 to treat in 2010. When adjusted for inflation, that average would be $191,589.82 in 2026.
However, that number could vary for people with different health insurance plans and bedsore stages. When caught early, bedsores in nursing homes may not require costly treatment.
What is the typical settlement for bedsores?
The typical settlement for bedsores is around $400,000. Compensation for bedsores in nursing home cases can vary depending on case-specific circumstances, like its severity and potential abuse or neglect that caused it.
A nursing home abuse attorney can explain what your case may be worth. If you want clarification, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.
Get a free case review or call (877) 814-3168 to learn more about filing a lawsuit after your loved one experiences bedsores in nursing homes.
Written by: Her Case Matters
At HerCaseMatters, we believe women deserve to be heard — especially when it comes to their health and safety. Too often, harmful drugs, devices, and corporate wrongdoing impact women’s lives without proper warning, support, or accountability. We’re here to change that. We work with trusted legal partners who are deeply experienced in holding powerful companies accountable. But more than that, we’re here to remind women everywhere that their pain is real, their experiences matter, and they deserve justice.
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