It is up to a nursing home to take good care of your senior relative. It is natural that seniors will experience changes in their health. For instance, you may notice your loved one has lost weight. This might not be a bad sign. Still, you should make sure the loss in weight is not due to neglect on the part of the home.
WebMD explains a number of troubling causes for unexplained weight loss in seniors. Investigating these possibilities may help you to understand whether you need to take action to secure your loved one’s health and safety.
A lack of meals
Many nursing home residents need assistance to get around. Some may not make it to a common area for dinner under their own strength. They need nursing home staffers to bring them out for a meal or to deliver the food to the room. If staffers are not performing this duty, your relative may not be getting the nutrition he or she needs.
Disease or disorders
A loss of weight sometimes happens because of a disease or some other health condition. It might be something you know your loved one suffers from and needs medicine to treat. Your relative might not be receiving the medication or perhaps not the right medicine from home staffers.
If you are not aware of any disease that your relative has that could cause the loss in weight, it may be due to undiagnosed disease. Heart problems, stomach disease, cancer, diabetes, and kidney disease can result in weight loss.
Emotional problems
Sometimes a senior does not want to eat. This could be a sign of an emotional problem such as depression. It is important to find the cause. It could be due to a medical disorder, but it may also be due to social isolation. The home might not be helping your relative socialize with friends in the facility. Neglect or abuse may also be the culprit. You should see if your relative has bruises or other signs of mistreatment.