Nursing Home Fall Injuries in Anniston
The elderly are at a higher risk for falls and the injuries associated with them than any other age group. While falls can happen anywhere and at any time, they are more likely to happen in nursing homes. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 50 percent of all nursing home residents fall every year. Also, approximately 10 percent of those falls result in serious injury.
When an elderly person experiences nursing home fall injuries in Anniston, it may be important that they or their family speaks to a nursing home abuse lawyer in Anniston who could help them with their case.
Causes of Falls
There are many causes of falls among the elderly, but there are certain causes that are most common in nursing homes. These include:
- Confusion: elders are more likely to fall if they are confused because it can cause them to miss dangers in their path
- Certain medications: when patients take the wrong medication, or staff does not monitor them shortly after taking new medication, they can become sleepy and dizzy
- Unsafe areas: when there is a poorly lit walkway, a slippery floor, a bed height that is too high, or clutter creating obstacles in a nursing home
- Ignoring calls for help: elders often need a lot of help in daily tasks. When these calls go unanswered, an elder may try to do it on their own
- Broken equipment: many nursing homes lack proper funding, and this means that they may not have the ability to invest in certain equipment the way they should
While there are many causes of falls in nursing homes, these are the most common, and they are all preventable.
Injuries
Residents may be embarrassed following a fall, particularly if it happened around other patients or staff members, but the resulting nursing home fall injuries in Anniston can be much more dangerous at that.
Many falls result in broken bones, especially broken hips that can be painful and leave someone permanently immobile. Even with proper care, broken bones put elders at risk for other injuries and infections. Falls also put elders at risk of head and brain injuries. These types of nursing home fall injuries in Anniston injuries can be fatal for anyone, but the elderly are particularly at risk.
If an elderly person breaks a rib or other bone that punctures an internal organ or tissue, they can be at risk for internal bleeding. Internal bleeding can cause other symptoms that are especially dangerous for elderly patients.
Since older individuals often have compromised immune systems that cannot help the body heal after a fall, they are especially at risk for infections. These infections may not heal and can prove fatal. Finally, a fall can leave an elderly person with lasting mental scars. A fall may cause someone to lose confidence in their abilities and can even lead to depression. If this depression is severe enough, a person may not want to recover, hindering their recovery.
Speak with an Attorney
Slip and falls can result in serious injury, but those injuries are often much more severe when it is an elder that falls. If you or a loved one suffered from nursing home fall injuries in Anniston, it may be important to get the help you need from an Anniston lawyer. An attorney could review your case and may be able to help you recover compensation for those injuries. Call today for a free consultation.
