Nursing Home Residents at Risk of Catastrophic Injuries in Fall-Related Accidents
Seniors are suffering fall-related injuries at an alarming rate, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Data compiled by the CDC indicates that millions of people over the age of 65 require treatment at emergency rooms for fall injuries every year. Moreover, approximately 700,000 individuals require hospitalization because of their fall-related injuries.
Senior citizens and elderly patients at nursing homes are often at the greatest risk of falling and sustaining significant injuries. This should not happen, especially given the strict regulations and care standards that nursing homes must follow to prevent falls.
When an elderly person slips and falls, it can result in a traumatic head injury, spinal cord damage or a hip fracture. In fact, falls are reported as the most common cause of head trauma among seniors in the United States, while more than 250,000 seniors need to be hospitalized annually because of hip injuries.
In the worst cases, an accidental fall on a nursing home floor, or anywhere else, can be deadly – especially for elderly individuals who may already be suffering from poor health.
Nursing home residents are more prone to sustaining catastrophic injuries in fall-related accidents. On top of that, they are more likely to fall in the first place because they may have certain health conditions that make it harder for them to maintain their balance, such as weakness of their lower body, vision problems and foot pain.
Given that seniors are prone to suffer fall accidents, it is important for nursing home staff to protect against falls by removing certain hazardous conditions from the nursing home. Another way to protect nursing home residents is to provide handrails along the sides of staircases, on the walls leading to the bathroom and near the residents’ beds.
Nursing homes must fully assess residents for fall risk and then place fall preventions in the nursing home to ensure that residents avoid injuries. These include bed and wheelchair alarms, placing the bed in a low position close to the floor and adding “crash” mats around the bed. The old saying that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is so true when it comes to preventing falls for your family and loved ones.
When selecting a nursing home for your elderly loved one, you need to make sure that the nursing home you choose is staffed by people who will take care of residents. If your elderly loved one has been injured due to nursing home negligence or abuse, you should talk to a qualified nursing home neglect lawyer immediately. Barry Sugarman is an experienced New Jersey nursing home negligence attorney who will make sure your loved one gets the care they deserve. Contact Mr. Sugarman now to schedule a free consultation about your case.
