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Fall Management

March 9, 2014
Fall Management Solutions.
  • 1,800 residents die every year because of accidental falls in U.S. nursing homes.
  • Up to 1 million U.S. hospital patients have an accidental fall every year.

Improve fall management with AliMed's effective solutions

Whether elderly patients are ambulatory or staying in a long-term care facility, all these individuals have one thing in common: None of them can be monitored by a caregiver 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

People, who are prone to accidental falls, including those who have dementia or an altered sense of balance, can seriously injure themselves. Ultimately, accidental falls can complicate the recovery process for preexisting medical problems, inflate health care costs or, in some cases, lead to an untimely death. Not only can those who work in the care industry lose the trust of the patients and families with whom they work, institutions may potentially be liable for falls due to increased quality scoring methods and scrutiny by regulated agencies. The keys to fall prevention lie in awareness of the problem, and in using the best tools to help patients.

Who has problems with accidental falls?

In nursing homes, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that about 1,800 adult residents die every year because of accidental falls. Meanwhile, those who survive are likely to endure disabling injuries that can decrease the quality of life. Overall, between one-half and three-quarters of nursing home residents fall each year. This underscores the importance of fall prevention in nursing homes.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality estimated that one in every 10 residents who falls has a serious related injury, and about 65,000 patients annually suffer a hip fracture. Some falls may never even be reported.

Additionally, studies show that, in hospitals, between 70,000 and 1 million patients in the U.S. have an accidental fall every year. Between 20 and 48 percent of falls result in serious injury, costing hospitals up to $19,400 per incident.

Common causes of falls, particularly in nursing homes, include muscle weakness, poorly-fitting footwear and improperly-fitted wheelchairs.

What solutions can help with fall management programs?

Fortunately, AliMed offers fall prevention solutions that can help caregivers and other health care providers with fall management. These include a variety of voice, cordless and other fall monitoring systems with versatile placement (i.e. wheelchair, hallway, bedside, etc.) and sensor options (pads, belts, etc). In addition to alarms, AliMed offers hip protectors and other solutions that can prevent fractures in patients who may fall.

Other fall management products include safety mats, anti-tipping devices for wheelchairs, and skid-resistant footwear. Such solutions allow patients to maintain a degree of independence, while simultaneously allowing caregivers to stay vigilant over the health and safety of the individuals they are caring for.

Sources:

  1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1492485/
  2. http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Falls/nursing.html
  3. US. Dept. of Health & Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, December 2012
  4. Patient Safety and Quality: An evidence-based Handbook for Nurses, 2008
  5. Amerinet, 2011

AliMed® Worry-Free® Sensor Alarm

Worry Free Alarm

Feel confident that the AliMed Worry-Free Sensor Alarm is always on with its guaranteed 2-year battery life.

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AliMed® IQ CordLess® Sensor Alarm

Cordless Alarm

Help prevent tripping and other environmental hazards which account for up to 27% of falls with the AliMed IQ Cordless Alarm.

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AliMed® IQ VOICE Alarm

Voice Alarm

Give residents the option of hearing soft, subtle personalized voices of family members or others and help eliminate startling with the AliMed IQ Voice Alarm.

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Hip-Shield X-Tra

Hip-Shield X-Tra

Help ensure residents are always protected and guard against injury with the Hip-Shield X-Tra Hip Protector with removable pads.

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Alimed Replacement Sensor Pads

Alimed Replacement Sensor Pads

Choose extra-thin Alimed Replacement Sensor Pads to enhance resident comfort.

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Disclaimer

AliMed, Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of medical supply products, and is not a medical authority. The contents contained in this article, including text, graphics, imagery, and other materials, are for informational and educational purposes only. AliMed does not provide or intend to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and the information contained here should not be treated as such. If you have questions about a specific medical condition or specific personal use of a medical device, always consult your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.

This blog was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence. Although every effort has been made to present information that is accurate and true to the best of our knowledge, this content may contain omissions or errors. AliMed does not regularly update information or resources for this content and does not guarantee, make any warranties, and accepts no liability for the accuracy or completeness of the information presented.