Nursing Home Injury From Falling

The number of elderly falls in the American nursing home population continue to be a momentous problem, thus lawsuits related to elderly falls are becoming more common.

This can be disciplined by the primary guidelines of negligence. Elderly falls often occur due to precarious conditions in the nursing home environment.

Aging is inevitable, it is a slow transformation process that no one can escape. As we age it is apparent that fatality degrees increase with age

However, studies prove falls to be the most prominent cause of injury associated visits to the hospitals in America. They are the leading cause of death in the elderly (persons 65 and over). Here, we discuss nursing home negligence in relation to elderly falls and its potential for a lawsuit.

The Operation of a nursing home

One of the primary roles of skilled nursing care facilities should be to alleviate the risk of falls or repeated falls. Many nursing homes have the equipment and or accessories to do a fall risk assessment evaluation and modify assistive devices, assess and change medications as needed, provide resident gait assessment and staff training.
They should and most definitely could provide exercise programs, encourage hip protector use, and conduct blood pressure evaluations. These can easily be considered effective preventative measures to reduce the risk of falls if the nursing homes and its staff attempt to stay vigilant in working to improve the safety of our elderly residents.

Elderly Fall Statistics

A study regulated from 1992 through 1995 by Vital Health; aired 147 million injury related visits to hospitals in the United states. These visits were more frequent in children 5 years and younger and adults 65 and older. However, results indicated that in comparison to children, old people falling are 10 times more prone to be hospitalized and 8 times more inclined to die as a result of a fall.

Lets have look at some astounding numbers:

  • Falls are liable for accidental deaths of persons of 75 or older
  • 90 percent of hip fractures transpire due to falls
  • 60 percent elderly in nursing homes fall each year in the United States
  • Approximately 1,800 falls end in death every year
  • Up to 9,500 deaths of elderly Americans are related to falls annually.
  • Approximately 60 percent of elderly who reside in skilled nursing care facilities fall each year.

If elderly persons who fall experience a compelling anguish, what is the outlook of hospital visits and side effects of a fall? Reports indicate:

Hospital stays are twice as long for elderly who fall

Falls cause a higher level of decline in activities of daily living, and in physical and social activities for the elderly.

Falls cause the elderly for the ensuing of institutionalization.

So what are the costs of elderly falls in the United States? The approximated average for a hospital cost for a fall injury is $35,000 dollars. Medicare covers only and up to 78 percent of the cost of falls.

Are Skilled Nursing Care or Residential Care Facilities Accountable?

One can only imagine how strenuous it is to institutionalize a loved one. Every individual hopes to place their loved one in a facility where they’re elder can be freed from danger. A facility that provides a hazard free, environment where the elder can receive prime quality care and medical support and where they can trust to live pleasantly.

Regrettably, 60% of falls take place in nursing homes.

Although unexcusable, most Skilled nursing care facilities are understaffed and thus employees are overworked, leaving our elders unsupervised and at risk for falls. In most cases these facilities contribute to falls as they leave our elders unaided post administering chemical restraints.

Here are the most probable causes of nursing home falls

Environmental hazards (being wet floors, poor lighting, improper bed heights, and inaccurately fitted or maintained wheelchairs) in nursing homes contribute to 16 to 27 percent of elderly falls.

Medications  that alter the central nervous system such as sedatives or anti-anxiety drugs can contribute to elderly falls. These medications require strict supervision post administration as fall risks are notably eminent up to three days thereafter.

Lack of fitted exercise programs that can better resident balance, coordination and overall physical functioning.
Inadequate training for staff on elderly fall prevention and risk factors as well as insufficient post fall assessment and treatment of underlying medical conditions.

Why you should file a Lawsuit

It is expected for families to identify those allocated to care for their loved elder to contribute to their falls. Inadequately managed institutions fail to train employees accordingly, provide sufficient staffing, and thus place low costs and high earnings over the safety and well being of our elders.

Filing a lawsuit will assist mistreated, abused and/or neglected families of a victimized elder. This lawsuit will attain accountability of these delinquent facilities and provide due process to our beloved elders.

If you or a loved one have been injured through a fall in an institution, call our investigating lawyer now for a free case evaluation.