Nursing home residents may suffer serious injuries in accidents or other situations that could put their health and safety at risk. Falls are some of the most common causes of nursing home injuries, and in many cases, these incidents occur because of inadequate supervision of patients by a facility’s staff members. When an elderly loved one who resides in a nursing home suffers injuries in a fall, their family members will need to determine whether the incident occurred due to nursing home neglect. By understanding the factors that put their loved one at risk, a family can take steps to address these concerns, prevent future injuries, and ensure that a facility is held responsible for its failure to provide the proper care.
Concerns About Lack of Supervision in Nursing Homes
The level of supervision needed for different nursing home residents may vary. Some patients may require close monitoring throughout the day, while others may only need occasional assistance. Unfortunately, issues such as understaffing can make it difficult for staff members to provide the proper care and supervision, and fall injuries may occur when patients are unsupervised.
Some situations where inadequate supervision may result in fall injuries include:
- Failure to monitor patients and provide assistance – Staff members should check on residents regularly and assist them when necessary. If a person is left unsupervised, they may attempt to engage in certain activities on their own, which could potentially lead to fall injuries. For example, a person who is in a physically weak condition may need assistance with getting out of bed or moving throughout a nursing home. If a patient is not monitored correctly, and if assistance is not provided, the patient may attempt to complete these activities on their own, and they could fall and suffer serious injuries.
- Failure to address hazards – There may be a variety of issues in a nursing home that could affect the safety of residents. Fall injuries may occur due to tripping hazards such as obstacles in hallways or because of wet floors. Staff members need to be able to pay attention to the issues that could potentially lead to falls, and they should provide assistance when necessary or take steps to mitigate risks. Patients who are not properly supervised will be more likely to suffer injuries due to hazards and safety issues.
- Failure to provide mobility equipment – Nursing home residents who have mobility issues may need to use equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, or canes as they move about a facility. If staff members fail to ensure that this equipment is accessible to patients, or if they do not provide assistance to help residents use this equipment correctly, fall injuries may occur when patients attempt to move around on their own.
- Lack of medical care – One key aspect of the supervision nursing homes provide involves ensuring that patients receive the proper medical treatment. If a person’s medical needs are not addressed correctly, they may be more likely to suffer fall injuries. For example, some patients may need physical therapy to ensure that they can maintain strength and perform daily tasks correctly. If staff members do not ensure that a patient performs the proper exercises or receives the required treatment, the person’s ability to move about safely may be affected, and they may be more likely to fall and suffer serious injuries.
Contact Our Peoria County Nursing Home Fall Injury Lawyers
Fall injuries can be very serious for nursing home residents, and they may lead to complications that could significantly affect a person’s overall health and well-being. At Nursing Home Injury Center, we can help families determine how to respond following a fall accident in a nursing home that led to a loved one’s injuries. We work to ensure that injured nursing home residents can receive the proper care, while also taking steps to improve overall safety and ensure that a facility will meet the needs of all residents. To learn how we can assist with these issues, contact our Peoria nursing home fall injury attorneys at 309-524-6900 and arrange a free consultation.
Sources:
https://www.ahrq.gov/patient-safety/settings/long-term-care/resource/injuries/fallspx/man1.html
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15530179/
https://online.hpu.edu/blog/fall-prevention-strategies1/
