Obesity is a worldwide epidemic. Defined as having a body mass index of more than 30%, obese adults are often more likely to suffer from debilitating diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But studies have found that they also face discrimination in the workplace and in social environments. Obese seniors face many of the same problems as their younger counterparts, with one more devastating addition: when it comes to healthcare, obese seniors are often denied the specialized treatment they need which can end up being a problem when they are in 
nursing home care.

The Special Needs Of The Obese Senior

It is reported that 66% of obese people suffer from osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease that results in pain and weakness of the bones. Along with the tendency toward other illnesses, seniors who are obese often require care that extends beyond what the typical nurse provides. They need nursing homes that have specialized beds, lifting devices and other “extras” that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Nursing homes also need to make other accommodations for obese residents, including wider doorways, larger tubs, and bigger chairs.

Staffing Concerns

The needs of the obese senior require a nursing staff that is compassionate, patient and physically fit. Even with the proper lifting equipment or techniques, the care of the morbidly obese senior can be challenging. Unfortunately, many nursing homes are not equipped with lifts, leaving nursing staff little chance to move a patient without serious risk of injury. Research has shown that nursing homes that are more likely to admit obese residents are also more likely to have deficient equipment and staff to care for them.

The Cost of Obesity

The health care costs of obese seniors can be daunting. With the prevalence of chronic medical conditions and the increased likelihood of acute illnesses and potential falls, it’s no wonder that obese seniors are more likely to be put in nursing homes when they get older. According to recent research, an obese 70-year old has approximately the equivalent life expectancy as a normal weight person but will incur more than $39,000 more in healthcare costs.

Weight Discrimination In Seniors

Weight discrimination, like other forms of discrimination, is often unintentionally inflicted but harmful to the well-being of the obese senior. Many times additional weight results from chronic medical conditions or weight-induced inactivity. The larger one becomes, the harder it is to stay active and lose the weight. Yet many see obesity as a sign of laziness. In seniors, weight discrimination results in health care gaps and social avoidance.

Obese seniors do not get the same access to care as other nursing home residents due simply to the complexity of their medical requirements. The morbidly obese senior requires more time and attention from the nursing staff to stay physically healthy. Bedridden seniors who are obese must be moved more often to avoid pressure sores and ulcers, which could require three or four staff members. They also need daily baths to address skin folds.

Quality Care For Obese Seniors

Nursing homes should be a place of respite for your loved ones, not one where they fight for survival. Modern nursing homes come in many varieties, many of them ill-equipped for the obese or morbidly obese patient. With more and more seniors fitting into the category of being obese, it is important that nursing homes adapt to the increased need and provide a basic level of care that includes

• staff trained in safe lifting techniques
• mechanical lifts for morbidly obese seniors
• modified bedrooms
• larger toilets and shower chairs

All seniors deserve to be physically comfortable in their own homes. Once the physical needs have been met, however, it becomes important to realize that the senior bedridden from obesity and illness needs the same quality of social interaction that is afforded to normal-sized patients. Therefore, in order for this to happen, modifications need to be made not just in physical surroundings but in how they are perceived by the nursing staff. Quality care comes from hiring quality people.