F A L L PREVENTION

Presented By: Kelly Shellington RN

Statistics

#1 Injury Risk Factor within Skilled Nursing Facilities

2/3 of all Residents fall annually each year nation wide

10,000 Deaths annually nation wide 100 Bed facility = 2 months worth of

time spent on documenting falls each year!! Imagine how that time could be better spent:

Any Ideas?

Statistics

Rate of falls in long-term care facilities is 3x greater than people over 65 living in the community

Residents with Dementia present a greater challenge

Falls have serious consequences Dementia effects more than 60% of all

nursing home residents

Risk Factors

Environmental Physiological Pathological

Environmental

Non-Slip Soles Shoes are better than

socks Lighting

Replace blown bulbs Use higher watt bulbs

Debris If it is on the floor

please pick it up Hallways

All equipment on same side of hall

Broken Equipment Wheelchairs

How are those brakes & wheels?

Hoyer Lifts Are they

functioning? Automatic doors

How’s the timing? Elevators

Are they level with the floor?

How’s the timing?

Environmental

Dining Room Is that food on the

floor? Pick it up

Is that a spill? Mop it up

Napkins or sugar packets? Pick them up

Clothing Am I standing on my

pants? Do you know where

my shoes are?

Parking Lot Watch out for that pot

hole! Is that broken glass?

Weather Snow Ice Running in the rain Prepare for bad

weather in advance

Physiological

Loss of Balance What does the DCPOC say for this resident? How many assist? Can they really stand without assistance?

Gait Belts If resident is not independent then should

they be wearing a gait belt? Call Lights

Do you really know what that resident wants if you haven’t asked them yet? Maybe they want something different.

Pathological

Natural Aging Processes Decrease sensation Decrease in equilibrium Unsteady gait

Medications Many medications effect balance

Diseases Dementia & Alzheimer’s Neuropathy

Alzheimer’s & Dementia

This section represents basic information about the changes in the brain

The effects of those changes on a persons ability to function

Our goal is to help you better understand our residents with Dementia to reduce their risk of falls

What “Dementia” Means?

A group of symptoms that result from a disease or condition

Alzheimer’s is an example of a disease that causes symptoms of Dementia

Stroke is an example of a condition that causes symptoms of Dementia

Most common symptoms of Dementia: Loss of memory Loss of thinking

skills Loss of language

skills Decrease

perception

Early Stages of Alzheimer’s

Confusion about familiar places Takes longer to accomplish familiar tasks Trouble handling money Poor judgment Mood and personality changes Short-term memory loss

Advanced Alzheimer’s

Disorientation to place, date, and time Loss of self-care abilities Incontinence Difficulty walking Decreased communication

Using wrong words or repeating themselves

What Does This Mean?

When judgment, memory, and thinking processes are effected by loss of brain tissue , a persons ability to function in their environment is reduced and the risk for fall increased

It is important to understand how the symptoms of Dementia can cause changes in physical functioning, decrease the ability to recognize limitations and express needs.

Recap

Environmental Non-slip soles Lighting Debris Hallways Broken equipment Dining Room Clothing Parking Lot Weather

Physiological Loss of balance Gait Belts Call Lights

Pathological Natural Aging

Process Medications Disease

Strategies For Reducing Falls

Fall prevention begins with awareness and understanding of fall risk factors

Everyone has an important role in fall prevention

Assess risk for falls Analyze circumstances after a fall Correct problems and minimize risk on a

daily basis

Activities

Residents are more apt to fall when they are not engaged in an activity, are unattended or when they wander

Risk reduction strategies focus on ways to provide engaging activities for residents and increase interaction

Suggestions

Memory boxes Sing-along Movies Music Balls a quiet area

Tai Chi Hand Massages Repetition Reading with

resident Talk about families

Prevention

Walking Programs Unit 2 afternoon

walking program has made improvements

Let’s keep all of our residents moving

Encourage those that can

Assist those that can not

Extra Observation Does a resident need

more frequent visual checks?

Let’s try personal interaction

Electronic Options Bed alarms Chair alarms

Please note that alarms merely alert us of pending falls; they in now way prevent them from occurring. Please respond to alarms IMMEDIATELY!

Reassess Medications Too many medications

can cause adverse effects on gait and mental status

ROOT Cause Analysis

Ask at least 5 “WHY” questions when reviewing the circumstances that may have contributed to a fall

Answers will help find solutions to prevent another similar fall

Be ALERT & Take ACTION!

EVERYONE in a facility has an important role in fall prevention

All employees, volunteers, and visitors can have an impact on reducing the risk of falls

Most effective strategies for managing falls in long-term care facilities involves EVERYONE who works at the faculty and includes support from families

WhatCanYouDoTo

Help?

Let’s Brainstorm!

Thank You for Your Time

Your Ideas&

Your Help in Protecting Our Residents

I hope that you have a fabulous day!