Articles Tagged with Nursing Home Fall Death

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(CDC)

(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.

We’ve Recovered Millions for Victims of Property Negligence…Contact us Now for a Free Consultation.

Headline Frame 11Alive DeskThe 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.

We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover.  Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or by telephone at 888.842.1616. Consultations are free and confidential.

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Choosing the Right Attorney

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:

ABA Center for Professional ResponsibilityA 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.

Contingency Fees Disclaimer: “Contingent attorneys’ fees refers only to those fees charged by attorneys for their legal services. Such fees are not permitted in all types of cases. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client.”

 

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HospitalNursingHomeWetFloorNursing home residents suffer frequent falls, all too often resulting in permanent disabilities, reduced quality of life and fatality. While physical health often contributes to these falls, many causes are the result of safety hazards, which may have been prevented.

The CDC urges nursing homes to implement fall prevention interventions to protect residents and reduce environmental risks. We have highlighted some of these fall hazards and prevention strategies below. Please view the full report at the CDC.

Why do falls occur more often in nursing homes?

Falling can be a sign of other health problems. People in nursing homes are generally frailer than older adults living in the community. They are usually older, have more chronic conditions, and have more difficulty walking. They also tend to have thought or memory problems, to have difficulty with activities of daily living, and to need help getting around or taking care of themselves. All of these factors are linked to falling.

What are the most common causes of nursing home falls?

  • Muscle weakness and walking or gait problems are the most common causes of falls among nursing home residents. These problems account for about 24% of the falls in nursing homes.
  • Environmental hazards in nursing homes cause 16% to 27% of falls among residents.
  • Such hazards include wet floors, poor lighting, incorrect bed height, and improperly fitted or maintained wheelchairs.
  • Medications can increase the risk of falls and fall-related injuries. Drugs that affect the central nervous system, such as sedatives and anti-anxiety drugs, are of particular concern. Fall risk is significantly elevated during the three days following any change in these types of medications.
  • Other causes of falls include difficulty in moving from one place to another (for example, from the bed to a chair), poor foot care, poorly fitting shoes, and improper or incorrect use of walking aids.

How can we prevent falls in nursing homes?

Fall prevention in nursing homes presents multiple challenges. It requires a combination of medical treatment, rehabilitation, and environmental changes. Fall prevention interventions can be implemented at the organizational, staff or patient levels. The most effective interventions address multiple factors or use a multidisciplinary team.

Fall interventions include:

  • Assessing patients after a fall to identify and address risk factors and treat the underlying medical conditions.
  • Educating staff about fall risk factors and prevention strategies.
  • Reviewing prescribed medicines to assess their potential risks and benefits and to minimize use.
  • Making changes in the nursing home environment to make it easier for residents to move around safely. Such changes include putting in grab bars, adding raised toilet seats, lowering bed heights, and installing handrails in the hallways.
  • Providing patients with hip pads that may prevent a hip fracture if a fall occurs.
  • Exercise programs can improve balance, strength, walking ability, and physical functioning among nursing home residents. However, such programs do not appear to reduce falls.
  • Teaching residents who are not cognitively impaired behavioral strategies to avoid potentially hazardous situations is a promising approach.

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 according to these CDC guidelines. 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.

We’ve Recovered Millions for Our Clients…Contact us Now for a Free Consultation.

The Murray Law Firm has extensive and successful experience in representing victims of nursing home abuse and negligence and we offer our legal expertise, if desired.  We typically represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover.  Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or call at 888.842.1616. Consultations are free and confidential.

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