The Legal Herald
(CDC)
According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury for adults over 65-years-old. “These injuries are treated in an emergency department every 13 seconds and claim a life every 20 minutes.” Alarmingly, less than half of older adults injured in falls inform their doctors. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a fall prevention campaign, called STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents Deaths & Injuries), to teach elderly care providers how to identify and address fall risk factors.
STEADI: CDC Fall Prevention Initiative
“STEADI uses established clinical guidelines and effective strategies to help primary care providers address their older patients’ fall risk and identify modifiable risk factors, offering patients solutions that work.”
The CDC offers online training to teach healthcare professionals how to implement fall prevention techniques and training into their daily routine.
Implementing STEADI in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities
The CDC reminds healthcare providers, “Falls are not an inevitable part of aging. There are specific things that you, as their health care provider, can do to reduce their chances of falling.”
Healthcare providers can help prevent falls and increase a healthy, active lifestyle in older patients by implementing fall prevention training strategies:
- Identify your patients who are at low, moderate and high risk for falls.
- Identify their modifiable factors.
- Offer them effective interventions.
Asking the right questions:
- Have you fallen in the past year?
- Do you feel unsteady when standing or walking?
- Do you worry about falling?
Creating a safe living space:
- Eliminate fall/trip hazards.
- Install grab bars inside and outside bathtubs and showers and near the toilet.
- Install railings on both sides of stairs.
- Provide bright lighting.
Providing wellness opportunities:
- Provide exercise opportunities, which focus on improving leg strength and balance.
- Coordinate annual eye exams.
Elderly Rights
Advocates for elderly rights and nursing home negligence attorneys at The Murray Law Firm encourage nursing home owners to implement fall intervention programs and training according to CDC recommendations. By training staff on fall risk hazards and prevention strategies, implementing environmental safety features, and providing residents with proper exercise programs and behavioral strategies, many fall-related injuries and fatalities may be prevented.
By law, property owners and managers are required to protect residents legally on the premises from any foreseeable harm. This responsibility is paramount when overseeing the health and care of elderly and/or disabled residents who may not be able to care for themselves. Should a nursing home owner or manager fail in this duty, the victim and their family may elect to hold the facility civilly liable for any injuries or wrongful deaths, which occur as a consequence.
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The Murray Law Firm has an extensive and successful record representing victims of property negligence. We have recovered millions of dollars for our Clients, and recently obtained a $29.25 million dollar verdict for a victim of an unsafe property. We offer our legal assistance, if desired.
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Selecting the right attorney for you or your family is highly important. You must feel confident that the attorney you hire has a complete understanding of the law applicable to your particular case, and has successful experience in handling such cases.
Important: Do not hire a lawyer who has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct!!!
You should not hire an attorney who calls you or visits you unsolicited, or anyone that contacts you directly to offer legal services. This activity is strictly prohibited by Rule 7.3 of the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which states as follows:
A LAWYER “SHALL NOT” CONTACT A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT THROUGH A “LIVE TELEPHONE” OR AN “IN-PERSON” VISIT.
– RULE 7.3, ABA MODEL RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.
If an attorney, or someone acting on behalf of an attorney, contacts you in this manner, that attorney is in violation of this Rule. This unethical and unprofessional activity on the part of the lawyer is good sign that you should stay away. It is imperative that you are represented by an attorney who is capable of advocating for you within the confines of the law, and an attorney who fails to abide by the Rules of Professional Conduct is probably not the best fit. In fact, any such attorney should be immediately reported to the local State Bar Association. If you have been contacted in such an unsolicited manner, contact us and we’ll assist you in filing a report.
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