January 08, 2014
Falls are a grave danger to older individuals, especially those in nursing homes who may have health issues that make them less agile or mobile and therefore less able to keep themselves from falling.
There are many fall prevention techniques that nursing homes can and must use to protect residents. If the facility your loved one is in failed to prevent a devastating fall, Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers can go over your family’s legal rights and help you plan next steps.
How Falls Happen in Nursing Homes and Why Prevention Is Critical
To prevent falls in nursing homes, it is important to understand how falls happen in the first place. Common risk factors include:
- Trouble walking
- Dementia and similar mental conditions
- Medication that affects balance
- Muscle weakness
- Changes in vision
- A history of falls
Falls can have catastrophic consequences for nursing home residents, including broken hips, head injuries, and a lingering fear of falling again that prevents them from enjoying life.
How common are falls in nursing homes? A 2025 report from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that nursing home residents enrolled in Medicare suffered 42,864 falls over a one-year period. That said, this number may not be entirely accurate because nursing homes do not report every fall: another OIG report found that, nationwide, nursing homes failed to report 43 percent of major falls that resulted in injury and hospitalization.
Clearly, falls are a serious hazard for nursing home residents. This risk is made worse when nursing homes fail to take appropriate precautions.
Fall Prevention Strategies in Long-Term Care
There are many precautionary measures that can be taken by nursing home staff to protect residents from accidental falls. This process starts with a fall risk assessment.
An individual fall risk assessment should be conducted and reviewed periodically for each resident. Knowing a resident’s specific history will lead to the development of the best possible strategy for preventing falls.
There are several scales that nursing homes can use to conduct their risk assessments, including the Morse Fall Scale and the Hendrich II Fall Risk Model. No matter what method the home decides to use, they should be consistent and ensure staff are trained in how to apply the test and interpret the results.
Once the Fall Risk Assessment Is Complete
A thorough risk assessment is just the beginning. Once complete, the nursing facility must create a customized care plan for each resident.
The following list is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but rather provides some ideas as to what precautionary measures are available for nursing home residents.
- Guardrails on beds – Guardrails are simple, and highly useful, instruments that can prevent residents from falling out of their beds. Residents can use bed rails as handholds when getting out of or into the bed. They can also use the rails to hold bed controls, call buttons, and personal care items for easy access.
- Height-adjustable beds – Height-adjustable beds can be raised and lowered as needed. Such beds are often controlled by electronics, so they are easy to use. The bed can be lowered closer to the ground so the resident can more safely get out of or into the bed, and it can be adjusted up higher so that nursing staff can easily perform their duties and provide care.
- Exercise programs – Exercise promotes health, strength, and social interaction. In addition to these benefits, various exercises can help improve and promote a good sense of balance and thereby prevent falls. Low-impact exercises and aerobic-type exercises are especially helpful.
- Individualized toileting schedules for residents – Many falls are the result of a resident trying to get to the bathroom. Sometimes, the resident has called for help, and yet that call went unanswered. Developing a regular and individualized toileting schedule for each resident and providing the assistance each resident needs is critical for fall prevention.
- Providing a safe environment – Older residents are less adept at quickly reacting, and all avoidable environmental hazards should be removed from the resident’s living area. This includes untreated winter sidewalks, wet floors, and poorly lit or cluttered areas. Elderly residents may also face environmental hazards like beds that are too high or poorly maintained assistive devices (e.g., wheelchairs, canes, walkers, or shower gurneys). Staff should regularly check and adjust these items to meet each resident’s needs.
With the right combination of safety measures, nursing homes can prevent most, if not all, falls from occurring. Fall prevention is one of the most basic steps a nursing home should take for residents. A fall is therefore a strong indication that the home is not providing the level of care that your loved one needs and deserves.
What to Do if a Nursing Home Fails to Prevent a Fall
If a fall does occur, the home should act quickly to assess the resident’s condition and get them whatever medical care they need. They should also alert the resident’s family about what happened. Unfortunately, as previously discussed, not all homes do this.
As soon as you find out about a fall—whether from the home or some other way—ensure that your loved one is safe and getting proper care. Ask the home questions about what happened and what they are doing to treat your loved one.
You can also start collecting evidence, such as photos of conditions at the home and your loved one’s medical records, to determine if the fall was preventable. Our Illinois nursing home neglect lawyer can help you figure out if a lack of safety measures led to your loved one’s injury and fight for whatever damages you are entitled to.
Fighting for Justice After a Fall in a Nursing Home
When taking steps to prevent accidental falls, safety is key. If your loved one was the victim of a fall caused by negligence, contact The Rooth Law Firm to find out more about holding the nursing home accountable. Our legal team is committed to providing a voice for underserved, underrepresented individuals and families.
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