Mom is 96 and is a right side leaner she has fallen 5 times in 90 days out the bed that’s as low as it can go to the floor. She’s gone to the ER twice with a scare on her forehead but no broken bones (yet).
The Nursing Home says they can’t put up bed rails I’ve asked about cushions bedside on the floor to ease the fall but they said they can’t do that either because it’s against the law. Each time she falls there no way of knowing how long she’s been lying on the cold floor. She’s always be high tolerance for pain and she can’t tell them if she’s hurt.
My fear is that they don’t see any thing wrong external but there will be something internal if she keeps falling on that hard cold floor.
Any suggestions on what they can do?
The bed should be lowered all the way down so it is less apt to cause an injury if the person rolls out of bed.
Bed rails are not permitted as they are considered a restraint or confinement.
Some facilities will use bed alarms or alarms on the floor that will indicate when a person has gotten out of bed. But the bed alarms can be disruptive.
As far as I know mattress on the floor by the bed is not illegal. You might want to ask to see the facilities policy on that. They should have a book that outlines general practices. You could also contact your States Ombudsman and ask what the regulations are in your particular state. (you might even get that with a Google search)
My dad used a low-rise bed with foam mats on the floor when he was in re-hab to prevent injuries if he tried to get out of bed. He was very disoriented when he first arrived there and I noticed he tried to put his finger in the electrical socket on the wall his bed was up against (outlet was mid-way up wall, not down near floor). Re-hab assistants immediately helped to re-position bed against a wall without a socket! Mentioning this because electrical shock or electrocution from outlet high on wall beside a senior or toddler bed can be a hazard!
They can put up bed rails. But it is a faff because it involves a great deal of paperwork and training, plus if they do this for your mother they'll have fifteen other families all asking for the same - including some families for whose elders bed rails will not be at all suitable, and then there'll be war.
So they just shrug and say sorry it's the law. And it is the law. But it's only PART of the law. There are other equally important parts that explain when bed rails can be used and how this must be authorised, monitored and documented.
If you Google something like "how to apply for use of bed rails in [your state]" you might get some useful information.
This gives some Medicare guidance on what NHs must do before resorting to rails, and reasoning behind Medicare's statement "CMS’s Interpretative Guidance adds that falls do not constitute a medical symptom that would necessitate bed rail use:"
There may be additional state laws or guidance, but in order to stay in good stead with Medicare (to be approved AND get paid), they have to follow CMS guidelines.
See All Answers