Philadelphia Nursing Home Malnutrition Attorney

What is Malnutrition?

Malnutrition occurs when the body doesn't receive the nutrients it needs to function properly. In elderly nursing home residents, this typically means an inadequate intake of calories, protein, vitamins, or fluids over an extended period. Malnutrition can develop gradually, making it easy for understaffed or inattentive facilities to overlook — until the consequences become severe.

Elderly residents are particularly vulnerable because malnutrition can:

• Weaken the immune system, making infections more likely and harder to fight off
• Slow wound healing, increasing the risk of bedsores and other complications
• Contribute to muscle wasting, weakness, and falls
• Worsen existing chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and dementia
• Lead to hospitalization or death in severe, untreated cases

Because malnutrition often develops slowly, family members may not realize how serious the problem has become until a hospital visit reveals the extent of the harm.

Common Causes of Malnutrition in Nursing Homes

Malnutrition in a care facility setting is almost always preventable. Common causes include:

• Understaffing – When facilities don't have enough staff to assist residents with eating, meals often go unfinished or untouched, especially for residents who need help feeding themselves.
• Inadequate meal planning – Facilities that fail to accommodate dietary restrictions, chewing or swallowing difficulties, or personal preferences may serve food residents can't or won't eat.
• Untreated dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) – Residents with swallowing problems need specialized diets and supervision; without it, they may avoid eating altogether or suffer choking incidents.
• Failure to monitor food and fluid intake – Staff should track how much residents are eating and drinking, but this basic monitoring is often skipped in understaffed facilities.
• Ignoring cognitive decline – Residents with dementia or Alzheimer's may forget to eat or need active encouragement and assistance, which staff sometimes fail to provide.
• Medication side effects – Certain medications can suppress appetite or cause nausea, and facilities should monitor for these effects rather than ignore declining food intake.
• Neglect and understaffing across shifts – Malnutrition often worsens on night shifts or weekends when facilities are even more short-staffed.

These failures point to a systemic problem: facilities cutting corners on the basic care residents are entitled to receive.