Most people living in long-term treatment centers are elderly and feeble, making them more susceptible to pressure ulcers due to their inability to move around freely, the prevalence of co-existing medical conditions, and poor diet. Pressure ulcers affect 11% of nursing home residents in 2004. Patients who are unable to move around on their own are more likely to experience this (16%) than those who can move around freely (11%). Since older patients tend to suffer from chronic wounds, it is crucial that these patients have access to quality wound treatment, especially in Lely, FL senior living center. Long-term care senior living centers can benefit greatly from implementing thorough wound care management because of a number of factors.
Wounds Are Common In The Elderly
As of the year 2015, there were close to 1.3 million people residing in institutional settings in the United States. The number of people living in nursing homes and similar communities is predicted to rise in tandem with the aging population. Because of the physiological changes that occur naturally with aging, people over the age of 65 are at a higher risk of developing chronic wounds, highlighting the importance of having an efficient wound care program in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Wounds in the elderly often take longer to heal than they would in younger people. As one age, they are more likely to have various comorbidities and risk factors that add to wound chronicity. Chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, poor diet, limited mobility, and declining cognitive capacity are among them. Recently, “skin failure” has been introduced to wound care as a new diagnostic category. It’s a term for a condition in which the skin is prone to bacterial infection because it isn’t protecting itself as it should. Aged people are more likely to have skin failure and pressure ulcers as a result of their condition.
Wound Care Can Prevent Complications
Ulcers on the feet caused by diabetes are a primary cause of limb loss. Also, chronic wounds are especially vulnerable to infections because of the low immunity in the elderly. Infections spread quickly in long-term care settings due to the close quarter’s residents share with one another. Impaired quality of life is a direct result of the emotional and physical stress caused by chronic, infected wounds. They also contribute to an increased risk of death. For this reason, quality wound care must be provided in all long-term care settings. Wound problems can be prevented with routine screenings and follow-up therapy from a podiatrist and other wound care specialists. Healing with minimal scarring is possible with an accurate and prompt examination and management of the wound. Furthermore, it lessens the likelihood of permanent impairment caused by chronic wounds that are both complex and lengthy in duration.
A Quality Indicator
Nursing homes have a responsibility to their residents to provide proper wound care. Failure to provide appropriate wound care may result in an F-tag punishment. “F-tag” refers to the section of the Code of Federal Regulations that details the requirements for hospitals and other long-term senior care. Long-term care institutions can avoid legal trouble if they provide adequate paperwork and wound care to their residents. In order to comply with federal regulations, all nursing homes must provide their patients with excellent wound care.
