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Riverdale Posted September 2022

Bedsores and the inevitable

I posted over a year ago about a series of events that led to my mother developing what grew to be a very large bedsore.


I finally got her moved to a different facility a week ago. We had our first care meeting today. They are a much more caring group and will work towards solving it. I don't know that can happen. My husband looked at the picture. It is deep with muscle and bone showing.


She basically lies in bed all day because movement elsewhere just causes great discomfort. She is on a special air mattress and is moved so as to not lay on it constantly Fortunately she enjoys reading and watching news. Her life has been rendered to such a limited state.


It is just sad because none of this had to happen. A series of mistakes at the former facility led to this. I would warn anyone if their loved one stays mostly stationary on their back this can happen very quickly and is very hard to heal in the elderly who are further compromised.

JoAnn29 Sep 2022
Lack of staff is no excuse for Mom to have a bedsore like that. An RN is the one who handles things like this. A trained one. Thats all my daughter did all day was Woundcare. If they were not able to do it, there are Woundcare units associated with hospitals. My daughter ran one. She could have been sent to a Hospital where there are woundcare nurses. You could have demanded her to be taken to a hospital or called 911 yourself. Something people are unaware of.

Riverdale Sep 2022
The previous facility had a decent reputation but I think Covid brought about inconsistent staffing. I feel confident in where she is now.

I can't say alot right now but we searched other facilities to arrive where she is now upon recommendation from legal counsel. I also wanted her elsewhere but needed to find a place that was a definite improvement, not just a substitute. This place will cost more money but so far I understand why. Thank you all for your heartfelt concerns.

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Daughterof1930 Sep 2022
I’m beyond sorry for you and your mom going through such a horrid ordeal. And yes, it was all very unnecessary. My mother spent 4 years in a NH, completely unable to move, couldn’t reposition herself in any way, couldn’t sit up, roll over, nothing, and in an adult diaper. And there was never, not once an issue with her skin, it was perfect. The key is vigilance by staff. My mom was a two person assist for everything and I watched the staff search her skin regularly, along with frequent repositioning. Our family is forever grateful for the compassionate, competent care she received and I’m sorry your mom hasn’t experienced the same

JoAnn29 Sep 2022
I hope you reported the other facility. My daughter was an admitting nurse at one time. She examined new residents from head to foot when they were admitted. Any sign of even a pressure point being unusually red meant an air mattress and continue watching of the area. She became a woundcare nurse.

SnoopyLove Sep 2022
I’m so sorry to hear about your mom’s situation, Riverdale. My dad developed a pressure ulcer on his tailbone last summer and despite our best efforts and all the best bandages, topical treatments, repositioning faithfully day and night, wound-vac, great wound care nurses, regular treatments at a well-regarded wound clinic, etc., etc., it just kept getting deeper and more extensive beneath the surface.

Thankfully, he was a candidate for surgery and in January the doc removed part of the tailbone and just closed the whole thing up. It has healed up nicely.

Unfortunately, I know from experience how quickly a tiny red spot can escalate. For us too, mistakes and frankly bad luck and bad timing played a role, too. And in our case, family caregiver fatigue may have helped cause or exacerbate the problem (for instance, our alternating pressure pad had stopped inflating properly at some point but I hadn’t noticed. . .)

In any event, my best, best wishes for your mom’s health and comfort, and comfort for you, too!

Grandma1954 Sep 2022
I don't think some people realize how fast a pressure sore can develop. Literally one can appear over night.
Luckily the one and only one that my Husband got was on his heel and it never progressed past a pink spot.
(I am not normally one that would say see a lawyer but if the pressure sore was caused or made worse by negligence or malpractice then I would talk to an attorney)

cxmoody Sep 2022
I am so sorry, Riverdale. So awful for your mom.

Cover999 Sep 2022
Many facilities suck, don't they?

Riverdale Sep 2022
Thank you for your reply. I don't really have a question unless anyone has a personal experience with bedsores
Some here know my story so in a way I was just giving an update.

It took awhile to get a bed in a different suitable facility. The previous facility did manage to reduce the size of the sore but they were responsible for it in the first place. They also downplayed it but then it did improve from what became massive around a year ago at this point. An infectious disease doctor basically wrote her off. Terrible bedside manner.

Geaton777 Sep 2022
I'm so sorry your poor Mom is going through this -- and you along with her. I am hoping you get some helpful and hopeful support from the forum family!

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