A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection in any part of the urinary tract, however most UTI’s are in focused in the lower urinary tract (bladder and urethra) when bacteria in the urine begins to multiply. If a UTI is left untreated it can lead to more serious issues such as kidney infections and a life-threatening blood infection (sepsis).
Elderly patients that reside in nursing homes are at an increased risk of developing urinary tract infections due to age-related changes that weaken their bladder muscles and decrease the efficiency of their kidneys. This decrease in ability makes it more difficult to properly remove waste when the bladder is not emptying completely.
When nursing homes are understaffed or do not provide proper training, it is easy to miss the symptoms of UTI’s, which can have devastating consequences.
Early Signs of Urinary Tract Infections
Unfortunately, the early signs that a patient is suffering from a urinary tract infection can be difficult to recognize. In the elderly, the first signs are often behavior-related. Other common warning signs of a UTI include:
- Urinary incontinence;
- Confusion;
- Difficulty completing simple tasks.
Symptoms of a Urinary Tract Infection
Every person is unique and the symptoms that they are suffering from a UTI may vary. However, UTI’s often have similar symptoms, which include:
- Persistent need to urinate;
- Cloudy urine;
- Burning urination;
- Brown, pink, or red urine;
- Strong odor in the urine;
- Pelvic or rectal discomfort.
If the UTI has progressed to a kidney infection, you may also notice fever, chills, nausea and vomiting, and side pain. Bladder and urethra infections will have intense pain and burning with bloody urine.
All UTI’s require antibiotics to clear the infection and in more severe cases hospitalization may be required to prevent sepsis and death. When nursing homes are negligent and miss the signs of a UTI, residents suffer.
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