5 Most Common Nursing Home Injuries

When you are not able to take care of your older loved ones, it is painful, and usually, it takes a lot of planning and thinking about the right way to help them.

Nursing homes are often the best option for elders and their families. They provide a safe environment and special medical care if needed.

Among many worries, one of the biggest ones is the safety of your loved ones. Unfortunately, because of many factors, injuries in nursing homes are not rare, but there is advice on how to prevent them. Also, it is important to know how to react if the injuries happen anyway.

Here are the top 5 common nursing home injuries and useful tips on how to prevent them.

Falls and Fractures

For obvious reasons such as age and mobility issues, falls and fractures are the most common injuries that can happen in nursing homes. Don’t get discouraged because of it. There are ways to prevent or at least minimize the possibility of that kind of injury.

First, make sure that the room where your elder is about to live is in the appropriate position, depending on your elder’s mobility possibilities. Also, the nursing home should have good security and safety measures. Get familiarized with them.

Check the staff’s professional level and how well they are trained to assist residents with mobility.

Pressure Ulcers

Pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores, are very unpleasant injuries, and it is most common in patients who are spending most of their time in bed without mobility.

It can happen with perfect care, but the stage of injuries would not be the same if someone is treating the patient properly or if it neglects them.

That’s why it is important for you to make sure that the nursing home has a good protocol for turning patients from side to side regularly. Proper hygiene is essential with open wounds. Go to the facility and see how well it is maintained.

Medication Mistake

This can be a fatal injury. It can lead to serious medical conditions. Taking the wrong dosages of medication or mixing the wrong medications is extremely dangerous.

Ask about the protocol medical staff follows for giving therapy to patients. See where they hold medications and what errors may occur.

This is a mistake you can’t take risks with. If you’re feeling insecure about their medical management, choose a different nursing home.

Infections

This is also a common injury in nursing homes. High hygiene standards are essential in this matter.

Make sure that the nursing home has a great level of cleanliness and protocol for infection prevention.

Pneumonia and urinary tract infections are regular, and they can also lead to more serious medical conditions that are very dangerous, especially for older people.

Malnutrition and Dehydration

To prevent problems like malnutrition and dehydration, well-monitored meal times are crucial for residents.

Make sure that the nursing home has good practices for monitoring meals and the quality of its food offerings.

What to do if Injuries Happen Because of Neglect

If the injuries happen after you’ve done everything to prevent them and you think that the staff or nursing home itself is to blame, you must take action.

Don’t hesitate to contact a nursing home injury attorney. He specializes in those kinds of cases and can help you with all the legal complexities and procedures.

It is not important just for you and your loved one to pursue justice but also for everyone who can experience the same in that facility.

Conclusion

Don’t let anyone tell you that it is not your job to worry about technical issues, protocols, and everything else important to the safety of elders. On the contrary, it is exactly your job to make sure your loved ones are in good hands.

Get familiarized with all the essential details, and don’t hesitate to react and ask for legal help if you think someone is not taking good care of your family member.

Elder’s safety and overall well-being are imperative.

Important Statistics About Injuries in Nursing Homes

Falls and Fractures

• Approximately 60% of nursing home residents fall each year, and 10-20% of these falls result in serious injuries like fractures or head trauma. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Falls in nursing homes contribute to around $4 billion annually in medical costs due to hospitalizations and long-term care needs. (National Council on Aging)

Pressure Ulcers

• An estimated 21% of nursing home residents experience pressure ulcers at some point during their stay. (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
• Treating pressure ulcers costs the U.S. healthcare system over $11 billion annually. (National PressureInjury Advisory Panel)

Medication Errors

• About 50% of nursing home residents experience at least one medication error per day. (Source: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society)
• Medication errors lead to an estimated $21 billion in additional healthcare costs annually in the U.S. (American Society of Consultant Pharmacists)

Infections

• Over 1.6 million infections occur in U.S. nursing homes annually, with urinary tract infections and pneumonia being the most common, affecting over 25% of residents. (National Institute on Aging)
• The cost of treating these infections in long-term care facilities adds up to $2 billion annually. (Journal of the American Medical Directors Association)

Malnutrition and Dehydration

• Up to 20% of nursing home residents suffer from malnutrition. (American Journal of Nursing)
• Malnutrition in nursing homes is associated with $15.5 billion in healthcare costs annually. (FeedingAmerica)