Blog Topic

Preventing Falls in Nursing Homes
Posted by: Craig A. Knapp
June 08, 2011

Most people don't get up in the morning and worry about falling out of bed. You don't typically see people walking down the street slowly or cautiously to try to prevent a fall. In fact, many of us go throughout our day and don't even consider the chance of falling. But what if you had to?

Each year, three out of four residents of nursing homes fall, with many falling more than once. This means a majority of the people living in these homes have to consider the above things that we rarely, if ever, think of, and rightfully so. Effects of these falls can be deadly.

On average, 1,800 people living in nursing homes die due to falls annually. That's almost three times as many deaths as bicycle accidents each year and about 17 times as many deaths as plane accidents annually. With about 1.5 million people aged 65 and older living in nursing homes, that's about a 1 in 830 chance of dying due to a fall.

Although the elderly are at a higher risk for falling, it is not inevitable. There are certain precautions The Joint Commission and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend, as well as my law firm based on litigating fall cases for many years, to reduce the risk of falling in a nursing home:

-Be Aware of All Medication Side Effects. Some medications place the elderly at a high risk for falls due to the side effects of the drug(s). Make sure you know what medication your loved one is taking, how often, and the dosage. Feeling sluggish, drowsy, light-headed, or disoriented on medication is very common. If this is the case, ask the doctor if these side effects can be reduced or if there's another medication you could try to reduce or avoid these symptoms.

-Lower the Height of the Bed. By keeping the bed as low to the ground as possible, there is less risk involved in trying to get out of bed in the morning. And, if you did fall, injury could be significantly less when falling from a bed closer to the ground than farther from it.

-Place Floor Mats by the Bed. Tell the staff to place floor mats along the sides of the bed in case your loved one falls out. This will significantly reduce the likelihood he/she suffers a broken hip, leg, etc.

-Have a Nurse Aide Help With All Transfers. Don't let your loved one get in or out of bed, wheel chair, toilet, shower, or any other area without the help of a nurse aide. Remember, that is their job and it's the responsibility of the nursing home to keep your loved one safe.

-Use a Lap Buddy. If your loved one suffers from Dementia or Alzheimers, have the nursing home put a safety belt around their waste when they are sitting in a wheel chair or similar resting place. This will prevent them from falling forward or getting up without assistance.

Bed Rails Should be Up. Make sure the nursing home puts your loved ones side bed rails in the up position. This way if they cannot accidently roll out of bed.

-Wear the right footgear. Invest in non-slip socks, slippers, or shoes. Avoid wearing things that could cause you to slip and fall, like regular socks or slippers without grip. It also helps to have a back on your shoe. Although slip-on shoes are easier to put on, they're also easier to trip on and come off.

-Use handrails and bars. When walking in the hallway, in the shower, in your bedroom, or anywhere bars are installed, make sure you use them. Bars and handrails are there to help. These can assist you and aid in fall prevention.

-Add a raised toilet seat. If you have difficulty sitting down or getting up from the toilet, ask to have a raised toilet seat installed. This will make it easier for you when going to the bathroom.

-Don't be afraid to ask for help. If you feel weak and don't think you'll be able to do it alone, use your call button and ask for assistance. In the end, the home should want to prevent a fall from happening by helping rather than have to report a fall. If the home isn't willing to help, it's not the right home to be in.

There are many preventative measures the elderly can take upon themselves to help reduce falls in addition to the ones that nursing homes take. Although the nursing homes are responsible for the care of their residents, you are the one who knows yourself best, making you your best caretaker.

If you put your trust in nursing home caretakers, but have been neglected and abused, give Knapp & Roberts a call. If you feel as though a fall could have been prevented by a nursing home, we want to help.  Nursing homes are responsible for the care of their residents. Take action and give us a call: (480) 991-7677.

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