Study: Nursing Home Falls Hit 1 in 5 Newly-Admitted Patients

According to a recent study, as many as 20 percent of all nursing home residents fall during their first month. Too often, these falls lead to serious injury or death.

2012-10-13

October 13, 2012 (Press-News.org) The frailty that so often accompanies old age puts senior citizens at risk of experiencing serious, and even life-threatening, injuries. For that reason, many elderly Wisconsin residents choose to move into nursing homes. By doing so, they hope to remain safe from the hazards that come with living on their own.

Unfortunately, a recent study shows that this is not always the case. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, approximately one in five patients experience a fall within the first month of being admitted. The study looked at over 230,000 first-time nursing home residents who were admitted to nearly 10,000 facilities throughout the United States.

However, not all patients are equally at risk. Patients at nursing homes that are not adequately staffed by certified nursing assistants are much more likely to be injured than their counterparts at properly-staffed facilities.

The study attributed the disparity to the fact that certified nursing assistants are able to provide the hands-on care that at-risk patients really need. For example, they can help with activities of daily living such as: getting dressed, using the restroom, bathing and moving around the facility. Frail or disoriented patients who attempt these activities on their own are at greater risk of suffering a serious fall.

Why Are Nursing Home Falls Dangerous?

To the young and healthy, it can sometimes be hard to understand why nursing home falls are such a serious issue. It is important to recognize, though, that older peoples' bodies are much more susceptible to serious injuries. A fall that might cause a bruise, sprain or other minor injury in a younger person could seriously injure or kill a nursing home resident.

Indeed, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls kill approximately 1,800 elderly nursing home patients every year. Thousands more suffer serious disabling injuries like head trauma, broken hips and other bone fractures. In addition to their obvious physical consequences, falls can also have a tremendous negative impact on nursing home residents' overall well-being. According to the CDC, fall victims are much more likely to suffer from functional impairments, depression and feelings of isolation and helplessness.

Holding Negligent Nursing Homes Accountable

Nursing home falls can happen for a number of different reasons. Most commonly, fall victims are patients who suffer from ambulatory problems or muscle weakness. In other cases, patients may be at-risk as a result of side effects from medications that affect the central nervous system. Sedatives and anti-anxiety drugs are two of the biggest culprits in medication-related nursing home falls. In addition, the CDC reports that between 16 and 27 percent of nursing home falls are related to "environmental factors" like improper bed height, slippery floors, poor wheelchair maintenance or bad lighting.

Whatever the cause, all nursing homes have a duty to take reasonable steps to keep their residents safe from falls. Failure to do so can constitute nursing home neglect.

Whenever a patient is admitted to a nursing home, the staff should conduct an assessment to determine whether the patient is at risk of falling. If so, the staff should develop a comprehensive, patient-specific, care plan to keep the patient safe and healthy.

Unfortunately, not all nursing homes take this basic step. Even in those that do, poor staffing levels may cause overworked caregivers to neglect a patient's needs. Sadly, this negligence and lack of oversight too often puts patients in harm's way.

Wisconsin nursing home patients who fall or suffer other harm as a result of negligence, abuse or neglect have a right to hold the nursing home accountable. In many cases, they may be entitled to financial damages for medical bills, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life. If patients die, their families may be able to bring a lawsuit on their behalf.

No nursing home resident should ever have to suffer the indignity of being neglected or mistreated by his or her caregivers. If you or a loved one has been injured by nursing home negligence or abuse, a Wisconsin personal injury lawyer can help you understand and protect your rights.

Article provided by Domnitz & Skemp, S.C.
Visit us at www.domnitzlaw.com

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