Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that requires careful blood sugar monitoring and proper nutrition. If diabetic nursing home residents don't receive the care they need, they could suffer severe complications, such as hyperglycemia, kidney failure, heart disease, and even death.
Unfortunately, many nursing home patients with diabetes don't receive adequate diabetes care. The failure to provide proper diabetes management is considered nursing home neglect.
Did you or a loved one suffer injuries from poor diabetes care in a nursing home? If so, Nursing Home Law Center LLC can help you hold the negligent parties accountable for their actions. Our skilled personal injury attorneys help victims of neglect, abuse, and medical negligence seek financial compensation from nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, and other healthcare institutions.
Contact our nursing home abuse lawyers at (800) 926-7565 for a free consultation.
Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how the body uses blood sugar (glucose). Glucose is a simple sugar that is an energy source for living organisms. In humans, glucose is the body's primary energy source for the brain, muscles, and tissues.
When you eat, the body breaks down most of the food into glucose and releases it into the blood. The increase in blood sugar signals the pancreas to release insulin, the hormone that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood.
With diabetes, the body doesn't produce enough insulin or can't use it properly. A lack of insulin causes excess sugar in the blood, increasing the risk of severe health problems over time, such as heart disease, kidney disease, and vision loss.
There are two main types of diabetes:
Another type of DM is gestational diabetes, which develops in pregnant women with no history of the condition. It occurs when the body cannot produce enough insulin during pregnancy.
There is also prediabetes, wherein blood sugar levels are higher than usual but not high enough for a Type 2 DM diagnosis. Prediabetes increases the risk of Type 2 DM, stroke, and heart disease.
Gestational diabetes and prediabetes are reversible with correct interventions. Some people with Type 2 DM can reverse their condition with drastic weight loss and lifestyle changes.
The following factors may increase your risk of diabetes:
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends taking an A1C test to identify prediabetes and diagnose diabetes. It shows your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. If you think you are at risk of diabetes or are looking for a better way to monitor your sugar levels, ask your doctor about the A1C test.
The presence of diabetes symptoms depends on your blood sugar level. Some individuals with prediabetes or Type 2 DM may not experience symptoms. In Type 1 DM, however, the onset of symptoms is often rapid, and they are usually severe.
Common symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 DM are:
See a doctor if you experience one or more of these symptoms for an extended period. Diagnosing and treating diabetes as early as possible will help increase life expectancy and avoid severe complications.
Uncontrolled diabetes or poor diabetes care can lead to the following complications:
The goal of diabetes management is to maintain normal blood glucose levels (glycemic control) and, in the process, create the best possible quality of life for patients.
The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) and the American Diabetes Association collaborated to recommend diabetes care guidelines for nursing home patients. According to these sources, proper diabetes care in nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities should include the following:
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities should assess all new nursing home residents with diabetes. The process must include recording the following information:
Diabetes care is not a one-size-fits-all plan. Assessing each new patient's condition will ensure that all diabetic residents receive individualized care plans that fit their unique requirements.
Diabetic residents must have blood sugar levels within a normal range and with little changes. Nursing home staff can use glucose meters to monitor patients' blood sugar daily.
Testing frequency depends on the type and severity of the condition. Staff should test patients with Type 1 DM 4 to 10 times a day, while Type 2 patients need testing between meals and before sleeping. Missing a blood sugar test can easily lead to a patient developing poor glycemic control.
Type 1 diabetes requires insulin injections, while Type 2 may have varying care plans depending on the patient. For residents with Type 1 DM, nursing staff must administer insulin on time and in the correct amounts to keep blood sugar within the normal range.
Residents with Type 2 DM can manage their condition with a healthy diet, exercise, and oral medications. Some may need insulin injections if lifestyle modifications and oral drugs are insufficient to stabilize their glucose levels.
According to the American Geriatrics Society (AGS), clinical intervention from nursing staff can help older adults manage their condition. Failing to give patients insulin on schedule may be considered medical malpractice.
A big part of diabetes care is providing proper nutrition to elderly diabetic patients. Food, particularly carbohydrates, can quickly spike blood sugar levels.
Nursing home staff must ensure that older adults with diabetes receive the correct quantity and type of food for every mealtime. Too much food and carbohydrates can cause hyperglycemia and increase the risk of complications. Too little food, on the other hand, can cause a blood sugar drop, especially if the patient takes basal insulin.
Furthermore, nursing homes and assisted living facilities must ensure that older adults with diabetes receive adequate macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fat) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) to prevent deficiencies. Patients need individualized plans as every person has unique nutritional needs. For instance, a diabetic resident may need fewer carbohydrates but more protein for wound healing.
Proper management of diabetes should also include skin and hygiene monitoring. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diabetic patients are at risk of foot neuropathy, which could lead to infection if staff fails to detect an untreated wound on the foot. Some patients may suffer from loss of sensation, increasing the risk of bedsores if they are immobile.
Hygiene monitoring is another essential part of diabetic care. Nursing staff should check diabetes patients with urinary incontinence at least a few times daily and ensure they receive hygiene assistance (e.g., changing diapers). Otherwise, urine and other waste materials can cause infection (if a wound is present) or make the skin more prone to damage.
Care plans for managing diabetes can also include the following:
Some nursing homes stray from diabetes care standards and cause harm to nursing home residents. Whether a simple accident or an intentional act, causing harm to a resident may be considered nursing home abuse.
Diabetic nursing home abuse includes:
Nursing home residents are more likely to experience nursing home abuse and poor care if their facility suffers from the following issues:
All nursing facilities are expected to provide high-quality diabetes care to all patients. Unfortunately, some nursing homes provide poor care and treatment, causing harm to elderly patients.
If you or a loved one suffered an injury due to poor diabetes care in a nursing home, filing a nursing home abuse lawsuit could help you recover financial compensation.
In all nursing home abuse cases, the burden of proof is on the one bringing forth the lawsuit (plaintiff). You must prove that the nursing home (defendant) more likely than not caused your injuries.
Your nursing home abuse lawyer can use the following forms of evidence to prove the defendant's negligence:
Diabetic nursing home residents who suffer harm from a facility's negligence deserve financial compensation for their injuries and other losses. Filing a nursing home abuse claim could help you recover compensation for the following:
All nursing home residents deserve proper care and attention, especially if they suffer from a chronic condition such as diabetes. But, sometimes, nursing homes fail to manage patients' diabetes correctly, causing further harm, injury, and even death.
Did you suffer an injury or illness due to a nursing home's negligence? Or did your loved one die because their nursing home failed to manage their diabetes? If so, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help you obtain the financial compensation you deserve.
Contact our nursing home abuse attorneys at (800) 926-7565 or use the contact form for a free consultation. All confidential or sensitive information you share with our legal team will remain private under an attorney-client relationship.
Our lawyers handle all accepted cases on a contingency fee basis. This agreement ensures you do not have to pay for our legal services unless we win your case.