Millions of elders will fracture, or break, a bone each year. Falls are the leading cause of broken bones in those over 65, and one out of three elders will fall each year. Unfortunately, falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries to seniors. In this post, we will focus on nonfatal injuries only.
In a best-case scenario, a fall will be nothing more than painful, but in many cases involving elders, a fall will cause a bone fracture. In fact, millions of elders suffer bone fractures each year. Hip fractures in particular are especially dangerous to those over 65. Yet according to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2010 there were 258,000 hospital admissions for hip fractures among people aged 65 and older.
As people grow older bones naturally become weaker, allowing fractures to occur from gentle movement and regular overuse. Yet, broken bones can also result from improper care, abuse and/or neglect within a Southern California nursing home.
It can be difficult to determine whether a broken bone in an elder was the result of normal activity or caused by abuse or neglect in a Southern California nursing home. That is why it is vitally important to determine the type of fracture. There are three types of fractures that elders may sustain. A stress fracture would occur naturally, as they are merely tiny cracks in bones that appear over time as the result of repetitive motion, movement, or overuse. Nursing home staff need to be aware of any stress fractures in elder residents to assure the fracture is treated properly and to prevent further injury.
Compression or spontaneous fractures can occur without trauma, and are typically caused by osteoporosis. Normal daily activities, such as walking, may cause a compression fracture in an elderly adult due to weakening bones. Common compression fractures appear in the hips and/or spine.
Traumatic fractures in elders are caused by an injury. In most cases, a traumatic fracture is the result of a fall. However, traumatic fractures may also indicate elder abuse. Neglect of a resident may be to blame for the elder falling; in cases where they were improperly medicated, and lost balance, for example. Abuse may indicate failure of the nursing home staff to properly investigate the cause of the injury, and/or failure to properly follow up with a medical visit after the fall.
It is vitally important for any nursing home resident who experiences a fall to have a thorough medical evaluation following the accident. The most common fractures that elders suffer as the result of a fall include breaks in the spine, hip, forearm, leg, ankle, upper arm, hand, and pelvis.
If you believe that an elder you know has sustained a fracture as the result of a fall in a Southern California nursing home, contact an experienced nursing home abuse and neglect attorney to determine whether the nursing home’s neglect is to blame. Consultations with Walton Law, APC are always free of charge.