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Bedsore Risks to Consider

What Are The Risk Factors?

Nursing home residents and their loved ones should be aware of underlying conditions that may raise their risk for acquiring bedsores. Residents with the following risk factors should be vigilant with nursing home staff about the need to be timely repositioned and turned. Bedsores are also referred to as pressure injuries, pressure ulcers or decubitis ulcers.


Poor Mobility / Immobility

Compromised Blood Flow

Whenever there is compromised blood flow to the tissues, there is increased risk of bedsore development.ย 

Poor Nutrition Status

It is widely accepted that nursing home residents who are compromised nutritionally are at higher risk for the development of bedsores.

Neuropathy / Compromised Sensation

If you cannot feel pain or pressure, you are at higher risk of developing a bedsore. Residents who fit into this category include those with spinal cord damage, stroke, MS, neuropathy and other conditions that compromise oneโ€™s ability to perceive pain and/or pressure.

Skin Color Changes

Pain

Pain may prevent nursing home residents from moving, even when they are feeling the unpleasant effects of pressure. Too much pain medication may sedate residents to the point where they donโ€™t change position as often as they should, or at all.ย 

Support Surfaces

The surface upon which the nursing home resident lies or sits can profoundly influence pressure over bony prominences, as can lying or sitting in the same position for long periods of time, such as in a wheelchair without pressure relief.ย 

Age

Elder residents may be at higher risk for the development of bedsores due to inability to move/change position independently.ย 

Mental Status

Incontinence

Incontinence may cause skin damage that can increase the risk of developing pressure ulcers/bedsores. This skin damage may make it more difficult for health care professionals to recognize the early warning signs of pressure ulcers (i.e. reddened areas of skin that blanch when light pressure is applied).

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