My father fell last night. He is in a nursing home. Should someone from staff have been there to keep him from falling?

My mom fell with TWO aides in the room and broke her hip. When I expressed frustration about this to the discharge RN at the hospital she said to me "MY mom fell with three RNs in the room and one of them was ME!"

She went on to explain that sometimes the break causes the fall and not the other way around.

As FF mentions, try to find out what caused the fall, and address that. But falls happen.

I am an expert at falling, have been doing it for many years, off a horse, pulled over in the snow flat on my face in the Salvation Army and face down on the pavement. My latest and greatest was breaking my hip a year ago. Picking up an interesting looking stick on the side of the road. got back to the car and down I went. A passing motorist helped me up and I managed to get back in the car and drove to town, drove past the mail box then had a package to send but decided against getting out of the car in town so drove home. Managed to get out of the car and up two steps into the kitchen and sat on a chair and YELLED for Hubby. The EMTs carried me out on that chair to the ambulance. never used to break anything but now I am one of the elderly I hardly move without a walker.
Hubby also falls a lot and I constantly tell him to use a walker but does he listen oh NO.

princess1148, a person can just as easily fall, let's say at your home, even if you were in the same room. Elders can tumble at a blink of an eye.

What caused Dad to fall, that is what everyone needs to find out. Does Dad use a cane or a walker? If no walker, time to purchase a rolling walker which is easier to use then a regular walker. It won't eliminate the falls but should limit them.

I remember a writer on the forum say that her love one was in a room which had a doctor, nurses and some aides, and her love one found a way to fall.

Sometimes falls happen. Someone assigned to your dad 24/7 couldn’t keep all falls from happening. I hope your dad’s OK.

Sorry but staff cannot be there 24/7. There are other residents that need care. Care facilities are not allowed to use restraints. Mats can be put on each side of the bed and bed lowered so they don't get hurt if they fail, out. Is Dad suppose to use a walker and doesn't. Staff can remind him to use it but Can't make him.

“The three primary risk factors for falling are poor balance, taking more than four prescription medications, and muscle weakness.”

From Being Mortal

Old people fall. It happens. As people get older, they often engage in less physical activity, which causes them to lose muscle mass and bone both of which can make them lose their balance. They may be taking medications that can cause dizziness. Their eyesight may be going.

Princess1148,
Wouldn't it be great if there was a 1:1 ratio so everyone could have the attention they need? But, sadly, the reverse is often true, too many patients for one caregiver.

As freqflyer said, the elderly can fall for a variety of reasons, confusion, tripping, in a hurry to the bathroom, in the dark, a bone breaks causing a fall, etc.
Accidents happen. It's no one's fault.

It would help to know why he fell so measures could be taken to rectify the situation.

Since they can fall with you 2 ft. away from them, I don't see how anyone could be blamed, especially if he had no walking restrictions.

Since he had no restrictions he obviously wasn't flagged as a fall risk. Did he have a history of falls that wasn't taken into consideration?

Veronica, that is funny! I hope you at least still have the interesting stick.

Princess, so sorry about your dad. I hope he is feeling better soon.