If you have an elderly loved one in a Maryland nursing home, you expect them to be safe and receive the care they need. However, if you’ve learned that your loved one suffered a fall, you might wonder why it happened. Certain factors commonly lead to these types of incidents.
Short-staffing
Many nursing homes are short-staffed, which means that there may not be enough staff members to watch every patient as carefully as expected. Some staff members have to care for 30 residents during a single shift. This could result in an elderly resident getting up unsupervised and suffering a fall.
Medical conditions
Certain medical conditions can increase a person’s fall risk. Elders with Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s disease or osteoporosis are more likely to suffer nursing home falls. Pneumonia and vertigo can also cause falls.
Certain medications
Some medications are known to cause dizziness and confusion. Some nursing home residents take multiple medications to treat different types of conditions. In this situation, it’s very common for falls to occur.
Improper nursing home equipment
Some nursing homes lack the proper equipment to keep residents safe. Often, this is due to budget issues, but it can increase the risk of falls. For example, some nursing homes may not have bed rails around the patients’ beds to keep them secure. This increases the risk of a resident falling out of their bed.
Lack of planning
Some nursing home residents suffer falls because their facility lacks a proper plan to prevent falls from happening. This can only increase the risk of falls among vulnerable, frail patients. However, having a thorough plan in place that addresses all the potential ways a fall can occur can keep elders safer.
Nursing home falls don’t have to happen. Proper procedures, staffing and equipment could reduce the risks.
