DEHYDRATION AND MALNUTRITION IN NURSING HOMES

Sudden weight loss or dehydration in a nursing home resident means missed meals and fluids; a nursing home dehydration lawyer reviews the weight records and intake logs.

Loose clothing, sunken cheeks, dry lips, dark urine, and new confusion are signs that meals and fluids are being missed. Residents who cannot feed themselves or who need thickened liquids are at the highest risk. Facilities weigh residents monthly and must act when weight drops five percent in a month or ten percent in six months: a dietitian review, a new care plan, and a medical evaluation for the cause. Dehydration shows up in lab values, in skin, and in confusion that families are told is just dementia.

What We Investigate

• Weight records

• Dietary orders and intake logs

• Supplements ordered but not given

• How many aides were on the floor at mealtimes

• Whether a dietitian was consulted

What Families Can Do

• Visit during meals and watch how feeding help is given

• Ask for the last three months of weight records

• Request a dietitian consult in writing

• Report sudden confusion or weakness to the physician the same day