How To Prevent Falls in Nursing Homes

Approximately half of all residents in a nursing home facility experience falls each year. That alarming statistic from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality should be a cause of concern for every family that has a loved one currently residing in a nursing home. As we age, we become increasingly susceptible to falls, and every fall carries the risk of long-term injury complications. 

The main reason for transitioning a loved one to a nursing home is that they need the kind of supportive, around-the-clock care that a facility can provide. Even with that care, gaps or inconsistencies in care can still occur, potentially leading to injury. You have a role to play in the care of your loved one to ensure that the nursing home facility provides quality support and takes preventive measures to prevent falls. 

What Are Environmental Fall Risk Factors? 

In the one room in the home that is ground zero for falls is the bathroom. After every shower, water has a way of getting onto the floor and creating a potential fall hazard. That is why you put down bathmats. In a nursing home, the environmental risk factors are the responsibility of the staff to prevent. Here’s what they need to look out for:

·         Clutter

·         Uneven floors 

·         Raised doorway thresholds

·         Broken bed wheel locks 

·         Poor lighting

·         Unstable furniture 

·         Personal items that are out of reach 

·         Loose hallway and bathroom handrails and toilet seats 

·         Unsafe footwear 

It is also essential for a nursing home staff to keep the facility's mobility equipment safe. That means repairing and upkeeping any wheelchairs or bed transfer support. 

What Are Resident Risk Factors? 

There are multiple shifts of personnel working at a nursing home at any given time. Those staff members have to understand the specific needs of each resident. That is a lot to remember, which is why it is vital to develop a comprehensive care plan for your loved one that details all their individual needs. 

Some of a resident’s risk factors could be present before they moved into the facility. Other factors could develop over time. Would any of these risk factors apply to your loved one? 

• ·         Alzheimer’s 

• ·         Dementia

• ·         Preexisting balance disorders 

• ·         Coordination challenges

• ·         Behavioral symptoms, like wandering

• ·         Body weight concerns (overweight or underweight)

• ·         Epilepsy or other seizure disorders

• ·         Active hip fracture

• ·         Huntington’s disease

• ·         Previous history of falls

• ·         Incontinence that requires frequent, urgent movement

• ·         Lower body weakness

• ·         Medications that might cause dizziness, such as antidepressants, tranquilizers, or sedatives

• ·         Currently using a walker or a cane

• ·         Wearing corrective lenses

When the staff understands these specific needs, they should be able to make the appropriate care adjustments to compensate for any challenges. 

When Falls Happen

When a fall occurs in a nursing home, a thorough investigation is necessary to determine what led to the fall and whether it could have been prevented. If it is established that negligence was a factor in the fall, the nursing home facility needs to be held accountable. That is where the support of a skilled nursing home abuse attorney will prove to be invaluable. 

These are the attorneys who specialize in claims that directly impact nursing home residents. They can provide families with the guidance they need to understand all their options for seeking a remedy. Preventing one fall can make a world of difference for a nursing home resident.