Falls in Nursing Homes
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Falls in Nursing Homes are a serious problem. The statistics are staggering. Each year nursing homes of 100 beds reports 100 to 200 falls and many falls go unreported. Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths. They are also the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma (CDC 2006). About 5% of adults 65 and older live in nursing homes. "But people in nursing homes account for about 20% of deaths from falls in this age group (Rubenstein 1997)." Falls cause serious injury and reduce the quality of life. The fear of falling causes depression and feelings of helplessness.
"Hazards in the nursing home cause 16% to 27% of falls among residents (Ejaz et al. 1994; Rubenstein et al. 1994). Such hazards include wet floors, poor lighting, incorrect bed height, and improperly fitted or maintained wheelchairs (Rubenstein et al. 1994; Ray et al. 1997)." A further disturbing fact is that approximaltely 35% of the resident falls are people who cannot walk (Thapa et al. 1996).
With proper care most of these falls in the nursing homes could be eliminated. Properly trained and well staffed nursing homes can reduce falls and reduce the severity of the injury. I have handled many claims involving injuries from falls in the nursing homes. These claims identify problems the nursing homes have and encourage the facilities to correct the problem so as to prevent future injury.
If you have a loved one injured by a fall in a nursing home and would like to discuss the matter, you can contact me to discuss further at the Law Offices of Beth S Janicek, 100 Sandau, San Antonio, Texas (210)366-4949 or toll free at 877-79LEGAL.