If you need to place a loved one in a nursing home, you want to make sure that he or she has all the protections needed. The last thing you ever want to find out is that your loved one fell because of negligence or poor treatment.
In nearly 50 percent of Ohio nursing homes, residents fall at least once during their stays. Improper handling, falls and accidents are in fact in the top eight most common complaints to the Long-term Care Ombudsman. Maybe not surprisingly, 90 percent of the complaints are issued in regards to accidents, falls and improper handling, as well as the other five top complaints, that took place in nursing homes.
When a person falls, there are several things that can happen as a result. Bones can be fractured. The patient may suffer a head injury, either open or closed. The resident could suffer from subdural hematomas or joint dislocations. Additionally, the patient could suffer from altered consciousness due to the fall itself.
To prevent falls in nursing facilities, it’s important that your loved one is assessed on arrival. At-risk residents need to be located closer to nursing stations to allow for quick reaction times when a patient stumbles or attempts to get out of bed or a chair. It’s important for the staff to teach your loved one how to call for help if they have fallen or if they want help because they feel they could fall if they stand and walk on their own.
If you find that negligence or abuse has taken place, there is legal help available. You can also discuss the situation with the facility to see what they are willing to do to correct it.
Source: Ohio.gov, “How Ohio Nursing Homes Can Prevent Falls,” accessed Jan. 19, 2017
