“It was heartbreaking to see my mother in so much pain,” says Jennifer Pearson, a senior nurse in the NHS. Jennifer’s mother - now 86 - had a devastating stroke in 2019 and developed a severe pressure ulcer.
“Patients die from deep pressure ulcers. After such a life changing stroke it was in the back of my mind that mum would die too. To see her in so much discomfort, it just added insult to injury after all she had been through.”
The stroke left Jennifer’s mother paralysed down one side of her body. As a result, she struggled to move. Immobility increases the likelihood of pressure ulcers, but when the signs are caught early, they can usually be prevented.
Sadly, for Jennifer’s mother, the pressure ulcer was already at a severe stage by the time it was discovered.
“I’m not saying it was entirely preventable, but it was found far later than it needed to be - despite the fact that we repeatedly raised concerns,” Jennifer adds. “I had to hold back some of the information from my family because I knew how angry it would make them.
“The tools they were using to check for warning signs are not appropriate for darker skin. Our skin doesn’t necessarily go red. My mum’s skin actually goes darker when it is under pressure and getting sore.”