Safety Concerns in Nursing Homes

Residents in nursing homes are prone to a number of health and safety risks, because of age and several other factors. Many residents will be frail and have compromised mobility. Some will have sensory impairment and miss hazards in the environment because of poor sight and hearing. Other residents will be confused because they are suffering from dementia. All workplaces, including nursing homes, are covered by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation. Medicaid funded homes are also regulated and inspected by a specially appointed federal agency.

Falls

• Some aids to mobility can be used.

  A fall in an elderly person is potentially serious. Many have some degree of osteoporosis, making fractures more likely. Medicaid rules stipulate that each resident should have a care plan, which is regularly reviewed. Risk assessments should be included into this care plan. If a resident is considered at high risk of fall, preventative measures should be instituted. These may include regularly taking the person to the bathrooom, so he is not attempting to go on his own.

Pressure Sores

• Pressure sores can occur when a range of contributory factors are present. These can include: age, poor condition of skin, incontinence, immobility and poor nutritional state. Each resident should have an assessment of pressure areas, and various preventative measures should be taken. These can include: regular turning, and specially adapted mattresses.

Infection

• Infections and various contagious illnesses occur fairly often in nursing homes. Many elderly people and staff share the same facilities, and it is difficult to completely eliminate the risk of cross-infection. Also, the immune systems of some elderly people are weakened, making them more prone to illness. Staff should be trained on hand-washing and other infection-control methods.