UTI in Elderly Nursing Home Residents

Older adults are at an increased risk of developing urinary tract infections. Certain protocols, including hygiene standards and proper catheter use, can help nursing homes prevent UTIs. 

When a nursing home’s staff fails to monitor and treat urinary infections, they may be financially liable. The Nursing Home Law Center is committed to holding negligent nursing homes accountable.

Learn everything you need to know about a UTI in older adults, including common symptoms, prevention tips, and what happens if left untreated. We’ll also review how nursing home negligence can lead to a UTI in older adults.

What are Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)?

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection of the urinary system. UTIs may be cystitis, urethritis, or pyelonephritis. Cystitis bladder infections affect the urethra and bladder, whereas urethritis infections affect the bladder and urethra. A pyelonephritis infection affects the kidneys through the urinary tract.

Why are Elderly Nursing Home Residents More Susceptible?

Elderly residents in nursing homes are at an increased risk of urinary tract infections due to a number of factors, including age-related changes and underlying medical conditions. 

Older adults may have weakened immune systems, which makes bacteria more likely. They may also have decreased bladder capacity and less capability of completely emptying the bladder, contributing to a higher risk of urinary tract infections. 

Older adults are also more likely to have underlying medical conditions, which can lead to UTIs. Diabetes and dementia can weaken the urinary tract and increase the chance of recurrent UTIs. 

Seniors with mobility difficulties may also make fewer trips to the bathroom, which can be one of the risk factors for developing UTIs. Adults with Parkinson’s Disease may have difficulty with urinary retention or urinary incontinence, both of which can lead to more UTIs.

Any medical condition that weakens the immune system can lead to an infection, such as a UTI, bladder infection, or kidney infection. Urinary tract infections can also come from an increased risk of catheter use in older adults. 

Introducing any external object, such as a catheter, can allow bacteria to enter the urinary tract. Proper hygiene, cleaning, and disinfecting of catheters are crucial in preventing UTIs in older adults.

While the anatomical differences between men and women may lead to varying symptoms, both males and females are at risk of UTIs. 

Postmenopausal women are at an increased risk of UTIs, especially if they have had a prior UTI. Women may notice more frequent urination and more UTIs, which can sometimes be prevented with vaginal estrogen medications. Men may also suffer from more UTIs due to an enlarged prostate or prostatic hypertrophy, especially in men who use catheters.

Recognizing Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms in the Elderly

Recognizing the most common UTI symptoms can help ensure that older adults receive the care and treatment they need to prevent their condition from worsening.

Typical UTI Symptoms

Here are a few classic symptoms of UTIs:

• Pain or burning when urinating
• Frequent urge to urinate
• Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
• Blood in urine
• Poor appetite
• Lower abdominal pain
• Chills or coldness
• Pain near the back could be from kidney infections

Atypical Symptoms in the Elderly

Less common, but common among older adults, symptoms of UTIs include the following:

• Confusion or delirium
• Sudden behavioral changes
• Dangerous falls
• Overall malaise or weakness

It’s not clear why some older adults experience certain symptoms or what makes delirium occur, but scientific evidence suggests that it may be due to weaker blood vessels. For this reason, general aging health is crucial for nursing home residents to help prevent these symptoms.

Whether experiencing classic UTI or other symptoms, nursing home residents should receive prompt treatment. Classic UTIs can mimic other medical conditions. An untreated UTI can also lead to severe symptoms. The urinary tract includes various components, each of which are at risk with UTIs.

Dangers of Untreated UTIs in the Elderly

Failing to treat UTIs in older adults can be dangerous. If the infection spreads, it may affect the bladder or kidneys. Some older adults may also notice more severe symptoms, such as sepsis, kidney damage, or delirium/cognitive decline.

In severe cases of urinary tract infections, older adults may suffer more serious falls, some of which require hospitalization. Untreated UTIs in older adults can even lead to death.

Preventing UTIs in Nursing Homes

Prevention is key when dealing with UTIs in older adults in nursing homes. Here are a few strategies that nursing homes should be implementing to prevent UTIs.

Proper Hygiene and Toileting Assistance

Proper hygiene limits the chance of bacteria entering the urinary tract. Encouraging hand washing and regular bathing can help prevent UTIs. Well-trained staff assisting older adults when using the toilet is crucial to preventing UTIs. Ensuring residents have easy access to incontinence pads and briefs is also important.

Catheter Care and Management

Many health conditions require older adults to use a urinary catheter. Urinary catheters should be inserted correctly and properly sanitized before use. Timely removal of catheters is also necessary to prevent urinary symptoms.

Hydration and Nutrition

Proper hydration and nutrition help balance bacteria in the urinary tract, effectively preventing UTIs. Sufficient hydration also helps seniors empty their bladders more frequently, which can help prevent a UTI.

Early Detection and Prompt Treatment

Early detection allows seniors to receive the treatment they need for a urinary tract infection. Nursing home staff should regularly monitor residents for the symptoms of a UTI and seek medical care when necessary. Many providers will prescribe antibiotics, which help clear the urinary tract. Intravenous antibiotics may be needed for some residents.

Treating asymptomatic bacteriuria may be more difficult since many residents won’t show symptoms. Additionally, some medical providers may be hesitant to prescribe antibiotics due to the risk of antibiotic resistance. 

However, nursing home residents should receive regular medical evaluations to help prevent infection. A urine culture or other tests can also help detect the bacteria causing the UTI, allowing the medical provider to prescribe the right medicine. 

UTIs are commonly caused by Escherichia Coli (E-Coli) but can also arise from other organisms or cause asymptomatic bacteriuria.

Nursing Home Negligence and UTIs

Older adults are at an increased risk of UTIs. However, sometimes, negligence can lead to more frequent UTIs.

Failure to Prevent and Treat UTIs

A nursing home that fails to prevent or treat UTIs may be considered negligent. The development of a UTI could indicate that staff aren’t properly assisting or monitoring residents. Failing to administer antibiotics could also worsen symptoms and be negligent.

Holding Nursing Homes Accountable

A lack of medical care or personal hygienic policies are just a few risk factors for UTIs. If you or your loved one developed a UTI following nursing home negligence, you may be eligible for a lawsuit. Nursing home negligence lawsuits hold the staff accountable.

Filing a lawsuit for frequent or recurring UTIs allows injured victims to recover medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. UTIs may be one of the most commonly diagnosed infections among residents, but that doesn’t remove liability.

The Role of a Nursing Home Injury Lawyer

Proving that your loved one’s UTI was caused by negligence isn’t always easy. Nursing homes often have large legal teams available and may attempt to transfer blame to underlying medical conditions. If you or a loved one suffered a urinary tract infection due to nursing home negligence, it may be worth discussing your case with a lawyer.

Here are a few ways that a nursing home negligence lawyer can help your case.

Investigating UTI Cases

Our lawyers have in-depth investigation skills, which can make it easier to find out what happened. The nursing home’s staff could be to blame if they failed to practice hygienic bathroom standards or never prescribed antibiotics despite an infection. Failing to order a urine culture or provide incontinence briefs to those who need them could also be negligence.

However, determining liability requires sufficient proof. A lawyer will help you collect evidence for a strong case, including medical records and witness statements.

Proving Negligence

State laws also require proof of negligence, which may also include medical records. Expert witnesses can also be valuable in a nursing home negligence lawsuit. An expert witness provides insight into the proper care of a nursing home resident, which can then be compared against the care they received.

The Nursing Home Law Center has specialized experience in proving negligence. We work closely with the necessary resources to determine liability and establish negligence.

In addition to proving negligence, our legal team uses our expert negotiating skills to ensure a fair settlement. If the negligent nursing home is unwilling to offer a fair settlement, our lawyers are ready to represent your case in trial.

Seeking Compensation for Damages

A nursing home lawyer can also help you recover fair compensation. While UTIs may be a common infection among the older age group, that doesn’t justify nursing home negligence.

We work hard to recover the funds our clients need to move on from nursing home negligence. Whether your loved one suffered a fungal infection from the improper use of a catheter or the nursing home staff failed to monitor a patient with Alzheimer’s Disease in regards to personal hygiene, our lawyers are here to help.

Secure Expert Legal Counsel! 

UTIs may be common in older adults but can sometimes be caused by negligence. Additionally, residents who are at a higher risk of UTIs, including postmenopausal women or men with a prolapsed bladder, should receive extra monitoring to prevent an infection.

Contact the Nursing Home Law Center for a free consultation at (800) 926-7565 or fill out our online form.