Residents of long-term care facilities count on the staff members to help them remain as safe as possible. This requires the staff to look through many facets of the resident’s daily activities. One specific factor that they have to determine is if the resident is at risk of falling.
Falls are one of the more common safety concerns in nursing homes. There are many reasons for this, including age-related physical changes, poor vision, medications and muscle weakness. While those aren’t wholly preventable, there are environmental factors that can contribute to falls. These include poor lighting, slippery floors and a lack of proper mobility assistance.
Fall risk assessments
All new long-term care residents must have a fall risk assessment. This gives the nursing home staff members vital information about what type of mobility assistance the resident needs. This can include help from staff members or the use of devices like walkers.
It’s not enough for the resident to only have one fall assessment when they move in. They also need one if their medical condition or medication changes. They should also undergo periodic assessments, even when there aren’t changes that indicate they may need one.
If a resident of a long-term care facility falls and suffers an injury or if the fall is due to negligence on the part of the facility, the victim may opt to pursue a compensation claim. This can help them to get the medical care covered, and it may also provide other compensation. Seeking the assistance of someone familiar with these matters is beneficial because they can be complex.