One-fifth of nursing home residents fall in first month

Updated:

Chris Lifestyle Category TESTMore>>
COPY-Chris Test 2
Chris Test 2
Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1More >>
Chris Test 1
Chris Test 1
Updated: Monday, February 6 2012 4:05 PM EST2012-02-06 21:05:06 GMT
Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1Chris Test 1More >>

HealthMore>>
Many can blame family for their bunions
Many can blame family for their bunions
If you've got bunions, chances are others in your family suffer from the common foot disorder, with a new study finding the condition is often passed down from parents to children.More >>
If you've got bunions, chances are others in your family suffer from the common foot disorder, with a new study finding the condition is often passed down from parents to children.More >>
ADHD in childhood may raise risk for obesity in adulthood
ADHD in childhood may raise risk for obesity in adulthood
Boys who are diagnosed with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are twice as likely to become obese adults as those who didn't have the disorder when they were young, a new 30-year study shows.More >>
Boys who are diagnosed with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are twice as likely to become obese adults as those who didn't have the disorder when they were young, a new 30-year study shows.More >>
Latest edition of psychiatry's 'bible' launched amid controversy
Latest edition of psychiatry's 'bible' launched amid controversy
As the American Psychiatric Association unveils the latest edition of what is considered the "bible" of modern psychiatry this weekend, the uproar over its many changes continues.More >>
As the American Psychiatric Association unveils the latest edition of what is considered the "bible" of modern psychiatry this weekend, the uproar over its many changes continues.More >>
Swallowing magnets can be fatal for children
Swallowing magnets can be fatal for children
Children who swallow high-powered magnets often need surgery and other invasive procedures to remove the objects, according to a new study.More >>
Children who swallow high-powered magnets often need surgery and other invasive procedures to remove the objects, according to a new study.More >>
Study links coffee to lower risk for rare liver disease
Study links coffee to lower risk for rare liver disease
Just a few extra cups of coffee each month might help prevent the development of an autoimmune liver disease known as primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a new study suggests.More >>
Just a few extra cups of coffee each month might help prevent the development of an autoimmune liver disease known as primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a new study suggests.More >>
Heart attack? Doctors soon may have an app for that
Heart attack? Doctors soon may have an app for that
There are apps that turn your smartphone into a metal detector, a musical instrument and a GPS system, and now there's an app that may help doctors save your life if you're having a heart attack.More >>
There are apps that turn your smartphone into a metal detector, a musical instrument and a GPS system, and now there's an app that may help doctors save your life if you're having a heart attack.More >>
Managing seasonal allergies
Managing seasonal allergies
Although spring arrived late this year in parts of the United States, the summer allergy season will still be strong, according to a sinus expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.More >>
Although spring arrived late this year in parts of the United States, the summer allergy season will still be strong, according to a sinus expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.More >>
'Nonsmoking' hotel rooms may not fully protect guests
'Nonsmoking' hotel rooms may not fully protect guests
People who opt for nonsmoking rooms in hotels with a partial smoking ban are not fully protected from harmful exposure to so-called "thirdhand" smoke, according to a new study.More >>
People who opt for nonsmoking rooms in hotels with a partial smoking ban are not fully protected from harmful exposure to so-called "thirdhand" smoke, according to a new study.More >>
Cellphone use may reveal your dominant brain
Cellphone use may reveal your dominant brain
New research suggests the dominant side of your brain may make the call on which ear you choose to use while talking on your cellphone.More >>
New research suggests the dominant side of your brain may make the call on which ear you choose to use while talking on your cellphone.More >>
High-frequency noise boosts math skills in study
High-frequency noise boosts math skills in study
Scientists report that they were able to improve the math-calculation skills of college students by buzzing their brains with doses of random high-frequency noise.More >>
Scientists report that they were able to improve the math-calculation skills of college students by buzzing their brains with doses of random high-frequency noise.More >>

MONDAY, June 25 (HealthDay News) -- A new study finds that one in five newly admitted nursing home patients has a fall within one month, and that higher levels of staffing with certified nursing assistants reduces the risk of patient falls.

The researchers examined Medicare/Medicaid data on more than 230,000 first-time residents admitted to nearly 10,000 nursing homes across the United States in 2006. Of those patients, 21 percent had at least one fall during their first 30 days in the facility.

The study authors also looked at potential factors that contribute to falls and found that fewer falls occurred in nursing homes with higher ratios of certified nursing assistants to patients.

This is likely because certified nursing assistants provide most of the hands-on patient care during high fall-risk activities such as dressing, using the bathroom, and moving around, said lead author Natalie Leland, a research gerontologist and occupational therapist at the University of Southern California, and colleagues.

The study was published in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Fall rates among long-term nursing home residents are well-documented, but the researchers believe this is the first study to focus on fall rates among newly admitted residents.

Identifying and managing fall risks among these residents is a challenge because these people are in a new place and are unfamiliar to staff, the study authors said.

They noted that some newly admitted nursing home residents are there for rehabilitation with the eventual goal of sending them home.

"A fall can delay or permanently prevent the patient from returning to the community, and identifying risk of falling is essential for implementing fall-prevention strategies and facilitating successful discharge back to the community," Leland said in a University of Southern California news release.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about falls in nursing homes.

*DISCLAIMER*: The information contained in or provided through this site section is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be and is not a substitute for professional advice. Use of this site section and any information contained on or provided through this site section is at your own risk and any information contained on or provided through this site section is provided on an "as is" basis without any representations or warranties.

One-fifth of nursing home residents fall in first month - WICU12/WSEE Erie, PA News, Sports, Weather and Events

One-fifth of nursing home residents fall in first month

Chris Lifestyle Category TESTMore>>

HealthMore>>