For a long time, falls in nursing homes and assisted living facilities have caused countless injuries. Sharon Banks Tarr, has a Master’s in Nursing, is an LNCC, and has worked as a surveyor for healthcare facilities. She shares her wealth of experience about what causes falls, how to determine whether they’re preventable, and how to prevent them.

She states that one out of four people over the age of 65 will fall, either in a nursing home, assisted living facility, or at home. Some are preventable, as when a lucid individual decides to get out of bed without turning on the light. Sharon emphasizes, though, that the staff can do things to reduce the chance of falling. Beds close to the floor and bed alarms have worked well in this regard.

Another problem is residents’ insistence on crowding rooms with their own furniture, which can lead to difficult navigation and possible falls. Because family members may agree to this out of guilt, this is a delicate subject.

Finally, she emphasizes the need for non-judgmental education for all staff members. When employees are considered partners in the learning process, they can come up with innovative solutions to problems. Sharon’s success rate with such educational sessions has been high.

This Legal Nurse podcast is full of practical solutions to the ever-present problem of patients falling. Whether you work in a nursing home or with cases of falling as an LNC, you’ll find much valuable information here.

• Are falls still an issue in long-term and assisted living facilities?
• What determines a preventable fall?
• Do bed alarms help prevent falls?
• What environmental factors contribute to falls?
• What kind of staff education can help to prevent falls?