Nursing Home Falls – Fractures and Head Injuries
Minnesota elder care facilities needs to address their nursing home falls policies and issues which have put the residents of the facility at risk. Falls are usually preventable with properly trained staff who take sufficient time when assisting elderly and vulnerable nursing home residents.
Reasons for Falls – Nursing Home Falls
- According to MN Falls Prevention, falls are the number one cause of trauma deaths, non-fatal major trauma and other trauma care in Minnesota. The vast majority of these cases are among older Minnesotans. • Minnesota’s fall death rate is almost twice the national average and it is increasing. Every hour an older adult dies as the result of a fall. • The total costs for non-fatal falls among Minnesotans 65 years of age and older were $162 million for hospital charges and $20.4 million for emergency department charges in 2005. • Hip fractures are among the most serious fall-related injuries. Twenty percent die within the first year post-fracture, half never regain their previous level of functioning, and many are unable to live independently after their injury. • Falls among the elderly are driving health care costs and significantly impacting quality of life for our older adults.
What you can do –
- Sign-up for the statewide falls prevention listserv. The listserv is a vehicle to share information related to the falls prevention initiative. To subscribe to the listserv, please visit: http://mailman.stpaul.visi.com/mailman/listinfo/fallsprevention
- Visit the Minnesota Falls Prevention Initiative website at http://www.mnfallsprevention.org/ The website contains more detailed information related to conducting fall risk screenings and assessments, implementing falls prevention interventions in your community, linking community.The US Center for Disease Control, CDC, also has a great website which addresses Older Adults and Falls, provides very useful information including:
Costs of Falls Among Older Adults, Nursing Home Falls
- Eye Can See Clearly Now
- Move Your Body
- How big is the problem?
- How are costs calculated?
- How costly are fall-related injuries among older adults?
- How do these costs break down?
- Type of injury and treatment setting
- References
Common Nursing Home Fall Injuries
Unlike complex medical conditions, infections and disease, or neglect such as medication errors, or poor practices leading to urinary tract infections, falls are almost always preventable with proper care. In fact, federal regulations make it clear that there should be falls or other alleged accidents in nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities.
Here are some summaries on various topics related to nursing home falls and fractures:
Nursing Home Neglect Fractures
Nursing Home Fall Injuries Lawyer
If you or someone you love is in a skilled nursing facility or nursing home and suffers fall injuries contact Attorney Kenneth LaBore for a free consultation to discuss the fall or injuries and he does not charge a fee unless there is a verdict or settlement offer with the wrongdoer. Call Kenneth LaBore at 612-743-9048 or toll free at 1-888-452-6589 or send an email to KLaBore@MNnursinghomeneglect.com.
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