Falls in the nursing home

Falls are an important problem in the nursing home. Falls are frequently a sign of a new medical problem or a decline in a chronic condition. They are associated with dementia and confusion, balance and gait abnormalities, psychotropic and cardiac medications, and taking many medications. A proper falls evaluation includes adapting a falls-assessment tool such as the Tinetti Gait and Balance examination⁵³ or the Get Up and Go evaluation³⁰ and an assessment of the resident's environment and equipment. Successful falls interventions should be multifactoral in nature and should include a toileting regimen and an assessment of medications, orthostatic blood pressure, vision and hearing, footwear, medications, and the environment. Restraints have not been shown to be effective interventions and could lead to serious injuries. No matter how thorough the providers and the nursing home are, falls and related injuries will still occur.

Duke Scholars

Author Jack Isaac Twersky Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Care