Nursing homes should be safe places for elderly people to receive proper care. Sadly, safety hazards are common in nursing homes. One example is how many falls occur in these facilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 50 and 75% of nursing home residents fall every year.
Many elderly injuries occur due to nursing home negligence. Here are a few prevalent injuries that impact nursing home residents.
Facial injuries
Reuters reports that facial injuries are disturbingly common in nursing homes. Nursing home residents suffer a variety of injuries to the face, including skin tears, deep cuts, bruises, nose fractures and eye socket fractures. These injuries are often a result of falling.
Hip fractures
As people age, the risk of sustaining a hip fracture increases. This is because bones weaken with age. Hip fractures are serious injuries, and complications can be life-threatening. Hip fractures often require surgery and physical therapy. Most hip injuries happen because of falls.
Pressure ulcers
Nursing home residents are often immobile for long periods of time. If a nursing home resident lays in bed in one position for too long, he or she may develop pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores. Bedsores occur when the skin deteriorates. Serious instances result in damage to the tissue, fat and muscle. Serious infections can develop if left untreated. They can even become life-threatening without proper treatment.
Negligence causes injuries
Sometimes, nursing home residents get hurt simply by accident. It is not uncommon for elderly people to get injured in a normal and explainable way. But nursing homes have important duties to fulfill to ensure their residents are safe. If the staff fails to keep the home safe and free of risks, the facility may be liable for injuries that develop. Anyone who has an injured loved one in a nursing home should look into whether negligence is a factor.
