The elderly make the decision to move to a nursing home or other long-term care facility for numerous reasons, but namely because they need help caring for themselves. This is not an easy decision to make, and it is often the person’s family that gives the final push to find a local nursing home that can provide their loved one with the care, compassion, and attention they need. Most families will visit a handful of different facilities, looking for the one that is right for their parent or other loved one. They expect the facility to provide excellent care and help their senior family member live a happy, healthy life. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Nursing home falls are a serious problem in the United States – and it is only getting worse.
This is why it is important to understand that there is a specific standard of care in place designed to protect nursing home residents from falls and other types of accidents. However, this level of care is not always administered. Before we look more at that, let’s go over a few shocking statistics regarding nursing home neglect, abuse, and falls:
- Somewhere between 16 and 27 percent of all nursing home falls happen because of environmental hazards
- Nearly a third of all nursing homes have residents that are abused
- Somewhere between 50 and 75 percent of all seniors experience some type of fall every year
- More than 30 incidents of aggression can happen in an 8 hour shift
- Nursing home residents fall upwards of three times every year
- Nearly 90% of nursing homes are understaffed
As you can see, there are numerous factors that can contribute to nursing home issues, including falls. In order to keep residents and loved ones safe, it is imperative we understand how to prevent these types of incidents. Sadly, the elderly are the least demographic to report nursing home abuse and other instances of injury, which means it is up to visitors, loved ones, and other staff members to make sure they are being well-cared for and any abuse or neglect is reported. There is a specific standard of care that all long-term care facilities must adhere to, but this is not always the case. By understanding what services and rights nursing home residents have, we can better determine if a facility is missing the mark and if there is grounds for a lawsuit. Here is a look at the standard of care that all facilities should be providing:
- Accommodation of needs – The residents has the right to receive services in the facility with accommodations that address personal needs and preferences
- Adequate staff – The facility must have sufficient nursing and other staff members in order to meet the needs of each residents at all times
- Personal care planning – The nursing home should have a comprehensive, personalized care plan for each resident in place that addresses their needs and concerns
- Food and nutrition – Long-term care facilities must provide each resident with a nourishing, well-balanced, palatable diet that meets their daily dietary and nutritional needs
- Medications – The majority of residents depend on one or medications in order to maintain their health. The nursing home must ensure all medications are available and safely administered
This is just a brief look at some of the most important standards of care nursing home must provide. If your loved one is the victim of a nursing home fall, please contact Wormington & Bollinger today.