If you have a family member in a nursing home or elderly care facility in Maryland, one of the things that you might be concerned about is the person falling. This could happen when they get in and out of bed or when they are walking through the facility to take part in various activities. Here are a few ways that falls could be prevented.
Lighting
One way to prevent nursing home falls is to install additional lighting in the rooms and in the hallways. A nightlight that plugs into the wall can be placed near beds and chairs in the rooms to make it easier for residents to see their surroundings if they try to get out of bed without assistance.
Devices
There are a few devices that can be used in nursing facilities that can help prevent falls. Rails can be installed in showers and near toilets. Residents who need additional assistance getting out of bed could have a rail installed on the wall beside the bed for support. Canes and walkers that have the proper support can be used when residents walk down the hallways or when they go outside. Staff can also use belts to assist in getting residents in and out of bed or chairs to prevent falls.
Staff
If members of the staff notice that residents have issues with mobility or know of medications that could impact walking or standing, then they can provide additional monitoring, such as cameras or alarms, throughout the day and at night. More staff could be added so that there is more support in place to work with each resident in order to help them move around with ease.
While in a nursing facility, falls can sometimes occur. However, there are ways that they can be prevented with the assistance of devices and more staff.
