The Unseen Threat Inside Nursing Homes

When families place their loved ones in a nursing home, they trust that basic needs—food, water, dignity—will be met. But in many facilities across Wisconsin, elderly residents are suffering from a quiet, devastating form of neglect: malnutrition and dehydration.

This isn’t simply about someone skipping a meal. It’s about systemic failures that lead to weight loss, weakness, hospitalization, and even death. At Trial Lawyers of Wisconsin, we believe every resident deserves proper care—and we’re committed to holding negligent nursing homes responsible when they fall short.

Why Do Malnutrition and Dehydration Happen in Elder Care?

In healthy individuals, minor lapses in diet or fluid intake might not be catastrophic. But for elderly nursing home residents—many of whom rely on others for their meals, hydration, and medication—the results can be deadly.

Common reasons include:

• Staff negligence: Aides forget or ignore feeding schedules, especially with high-resistance or slow-eating residents.
• Understaffing: With too few employees on shift, meal supervision becomes secondary to crisis management.
• Improper meal planning: Residents may receive meals they cannot chew, digest, or tolerate.
• Swallowing disorders: Many seniors need assistance eating or require soft diets, and neglecting these needs can result in choking or avoidance.
• Lack of assistance: Residents with limited mobility or cognitive impairment may need help drinking or eating but are left unaided.
• Intentional neglect: In some cases, residents are punished or ignored by abusive staff, causing meals to be skipped entirely.

Neglect like this is often chronic, not a one-time mistake. These cases signal a systemic culture of ignoring patient needs—whether out of apathy, mismanagement, or greed.

Red Flags: What Families Should Look For

Loved ones might not speak up about poor care—especially if they’re confused, intimidated, or nonverbal. That’s why it’s critical for family members to watch for:

• Sudden or unexplained weight loss
• Dry, flaky skin or sunken cheeks
• Constant fatigue or lethargy
• Confusion or disorientation
• Cracked lips or persistent dry mouth
• Decreased urine output or dark urine
• Recurring urinary tract infections or bedsores
• Hospital visits without clear explanations

If a facility is defensive or vague about your concerns, that’s a red flag in itself.

Medical Risks of Malnutrition and Dehydration

When nursing homes fail to meet these basic needs, residents can suffer catastrophic medical consequences:

• Weakened immune systems, making infections more likely
• Kidney failure due to fluid imbalance
• Cognitive decline, worsened by nutritional deficiency
• Muscle loss and falls, resulting from energy depletion
• Increased medication side effects, as drugs are not metabolized properly
• Organ damage and death, especially in cases of chronic neglect

And yet, despite these dangers, too many facilities cut costs on nutrition programs or fail to monitor intake, placing frail residents at unnecessary risk.

Legal Standards Nursing Homes Must Follow

Under both Wisconsin law and federal regulations, nursing homes are required to:

• Develop and follow a nutritional care plan tailored to each resident
• Monitor food and fluid intake daily
• Respond immediately to signs of decline or refusal to eat
• Provide feeding assistance as needed
• Offer diets consistent with residents' medical needs (e.g., diabetic, renal, low-sodium)
• Maintain staffing levels sufficient to meet feeding requirements

Failure to do these things constitutes negligence or abuse—and families have the right to take action.

Building a Case: How Trial Lawyers of Wisconsin Helps

If your loved one has suffered from malnutrition or dehydration in a nursing home, we can help you:

1. Investigate the care provided – We gather facility logs, care plans, meal records, and medical data.
2. Consult medical experts – We work with doctors and nutritionists who can identify signs of neglect and its impact.
3. Demand accountability – We hold not only the direct caregivers but also administrators and corporate owners responsible.
4. Pursue fair compensation – That includes medical costs, pain and suffering, and—in the most tragic cases—wrongful death damages.
5. Ensure better care going forward – Many of our cases lead to changes in facility policy or staff oversight.

We handle these cases with sensitivity, professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to justice.

Preventing Future Harm: Advocacy and Vigilance

Beyond lawsuits, one of the best protections for vulnerable seniors is informed, active families. If you suspect a problem:

• Visit at unexpected times.
• Speak directly with staff about meal plans and feeding protocols.
• Ask for medical updates and weight charts.
• Keep a log of symptoms or injuries you notice.
• Report serious concerns to state regulatory bodies immediately.

Your voice—and your action—can make all the difference.

Compassionate Advocacy Starts Here

Your loved one deserves more than survival—they deserve dignity, nutrition, comfort, and care. If a facility has failed in these most basic responsibilities, Trial Lawyers of Wisconsin is here to help you protect their rights and seek justice.

We don’t just fight cases. We fight for families.