Senior’s Fatal Falls
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Seniors, citizens aged 65 and above, in the USA are facing a crisis. As reported by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some 1,800 seniors living in homes for the elderly die each year from injuries sustained due to a fall. Survivors suffer from head injuries and hip fractures that not only lower the quality of their lives, but also make them live in a state of permanent disability.
CDC also has it that the average nursing home with a bed capacity of 100 patients reports 100 to 200 falls annually. These falls are just the tip of the iceberg as most of them go unreported. During the patient’s stay in the nursing home, he or she may fall over and over again. Seniors undergoing home health care also suffer from these falls.
These statistics prompted the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the National Safety Council (NSC) to formulate a national campaign targeted at educating all stakeholders about the best way to curb the growing amount of fatalities and falls associated with the senior citizenry and especially those residing in nursing homes. They have managed to make it their priority to execute a national education drive to ensure that all stakeholders involved with senior care are able to provide the best care to the nation’s elderly.
Causes Of Senior Falls In Nursing Facilities
•Psychoactive drugs such as anti anxiety drugs and sedatives.
•Environmental hazards for example poor lighting, wet floors, incorrect bed height, clutter, beds without support rails and wheel chairs that lack appropriate maintenance. Environmental hazards alone are the cause of a disturbing 16 percent to 27 percent of all falls in nursing homes.
•Gait/walking conditions that are brought about by overall body weakness and frailty of their bones.
•Wrong use of walking aids.
•Shoes that do not fit correctly.
•Improper foot care.
Suggestions To Guard Against The Falling Of Senior citizens In Nursing Homes
•Seniors should engage in an exercise program that takes into account their weaker bones and general body weakness. This should be carried out on a regular basis. Exercise for seniors has been found to enhance their overall flexibility and body balance. Coordination and balance workouts are strongly recommended.
•Enhance the accessibility of your house. Anything that's very likely to trip should be done away with. The toilets as well as the shower area should be fitted with grab bars. This really is one of the more important hints for elder care since 50 percent of seniors falls occur in homes.
•Be wary of medication side effects on the seniors. Any medication that has the likely side effects of disorientation and drowsiness should be administered with plenty of care.
•Last but not least, any home health care based business offering services to the elderly should always ensure that their vision is good.
Experienced caregivers remain one of the best alternatives that home care providers are able to use to prevent their clients from falling to their deaths. The caregivers should be in possession of a National Caregiver Certificate which is from the American Caregiver Association (ACA).
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