Falls and other accidents are a serious concern for nursing home residents. Almost 50 percent of nursing home residents fall annually. Over 10 percent of these falls result in serious injury, especially hip fractures.
The law requires nursing homes to examine risk factors that cause falls and accidents and take these steps to limit the risks including:
- Keeping the resident’s environment as free of hazards as possible,
- Give each resident adequate supervision to prevent accidents and,
- Use assistive devices that help improve resident safety.
If a resident has fallen or been injured, or is considered at risk, his or her care plan must individually address this concern and identify steps that will be taken to improve safety.
