Minnesota's Fall-Related Death Toll Too High
Deloras Fleischer fell and broke her hip. Her family moved her to an assisted living facility, where she suffered a head injury in a second fall. In a third fall, she broke her wrist. She was moved to Anoka Care Center, wheelchair-bound and suffering from dementia. There, no one secured her lap belt and she fell again. This time, the injuries were devastating - a broken collar bone, broken ribs and subsequently, she developed pneumonia. She died a week later.
Clarence Jackson, better known as Jack, was a known "frequent faller" at Minneapolis Veterans Home. He was moved closer to the nurse's station and given a chair alarm that would sound any time he attempted to get up. However, no one lowered his bed or took other precautionary measures. In fact, despite having the alarm, the staff often ignored his alarm when it sounded. Jack died from a fall. Multiple patient safety violations were found at this facility, including fall risks. Complaints filed in 2007 indicated the facility's failure to properly care for three other residents who died. The Governor put all five state veterans' homes under new leadership in an attempt to stem the injury rate.
These tragic stories are not unique for Minnesota. Minnesota holds the nation's third-highest rate of fall-related deaths. Fall-related deaths in Minnesota jumped from 346 in 2000 to 522 in 2006. Thousands more falls led to bone breaks, fractures, and brain trauma, among other injuries.
WHY?
Many Minnesota nursing homes fail to meet minimum safety standards. In fact, out of 388 state inspections in 2008, 150 cited nursing homes for accident risks. Forty-six homes have been cited multiple times since 2005 for failing to prevent accidents in a variety of ways from falls and defective equipment to carelessly stored chemicals.
One reason cited for the high rate of falls in MInnesota is that Minnesota has slightly higher rates for use of prescription drugs, possibly making the residents more at risk for falling. Interestingly, unnecessary drug use is found in 50% of Minnesota nursing home inspections. This high number may account for the excessive fall and injury rate.
SOLUTIONS?
Facilities are incorporating fitness training into their routines in the hopes that the seniors will stay healthier longer. The hope is that while falls may increase due to the seniors advancing mobility, but falls with injuries decrease. Other strategies being used are use of floor mats, bed alarms, and grab bars. Facility administrators are trying to plan better around shift changes, when falls seem to be the highest. Perhaps they could consider increasing staffing levels?
