Avoiding Slip-And-Fall Accidents for Elderly Residents

In the winter months, the episodes of outdoor slip-and-fall injuries tend to increase.  This is especially true this year, given the heightened amount of snow, ice, and cold conditions that our area of Pennsylvania has seen.  This can be especially dangerous for Pennsylvania’s significant elderly population.  Older residents often have osteoporosis, which may lead them to break or fracture a bone when they fall, due to the weakened bone structure.

An Erie, PA area website has posted some tips for its elderly residents to help decrease the incidences of slip-and-fall accidents for older Pennsylvanians.  Some of the tips found on their website, GoErie.com, can be found here:

·      People with osteoporosis should be especially diligent about taking supplements, such as vitamin D and calcium, in order to increase bone strength and density.
·      Do some balance exercises daily.
·      Wear proper footwear when heading outside.  Wearing slippers or shoes with not enough tread may increase your likelihood of falling and seriously injuring yourself.
·      Consider buying over-shoe inserts that attach to the bottom of your shoes to give you more traction outside.
·      Keep your walkways completely clear of snow and ice. The use of rock salt and/or sand may help with that goal.

If you have slipped and fallen on the property of another, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills and potential pain and suffering.  This may include cases where sidewalks were improperly maintained due to the winter weather, such as failure to remove snow and ice.   Attorney Doug Stoehr takes cases for clients who have sustained slip-and-fall injuries due to the fault or negligence of another.  For more information on his Altoona, PA area practice, please visit his website at http://www.stoehrlaw.com or call his firm at 814-946-4100.

To read more about the GoErie.com article, please click here.

Hip Fractures and Seniors

Seniors are arguably the highest-risk group to suffer a major hip fracture.  This can either be due to an accident, a slip-and-fall, or through abuse/neglect. The National Safety Council estimates that hip fractures are the number one cause of injury-related deaths in elderly American citizens. The CDC also reports around 280,000 hospitalizations each year for elderly patients that have suffered a hip fracture.  Additionally, the CDC estimates that over 90% of these fractures are caused by slip-and-fall accidents.  Although some of these accidents may just be mobility-related, some of these injuries are the fault of the property owner or nursing home in which the elderly person fell.  For example, an uneven or broken sidewalk, a missing or loose guardrail, or insufficient lighting are all property-related conditions that may result in a slip-and-fall accident. 

If you or a loved one has been injured after a slip-and-fall accident due to a circumstance surrounding the property or facility in which you fell, it may be a good idea to consult with an attorney about your options.  Attorney Doug Stoehr is a personal injury lawyer serving central and western Pennsylvania.  He specializes in elder abuse and car accidents. To set up a consultation with his law firm, please call 814-946-4100 or visit his website here.

Seniors Prescribed Medication That Is Too Strong

An article by the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel did an extensive research piece on the rising trend of seniors and narcotics use to control chronic pain.  According to the article, opioid dispersal to people aged 60 and over has increased by over 30% since 2007; this is double the growth for prescriptions dispensed in the age bracket directly below that (ages 40-59).  Interestingly, as quoted from the article, " In 2009, the American Geriatrics Society joined others in advocating for greater opioid use to treat chronic pain in seniors, especially those 75 and older. The group's guidelines are a key reference for thousands of doctors on the front line of medicine. The new guidelines recommended that over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, be used rarely and that doctors instead consider prescribing opioids for all patients with moderate to severe pain."  The members of the panel recommending these guidelines said that they relied only on personal experience and their own research, which they admitted was weak.  Additionally, at least half of these panel members had finanical ties to prescription drug companies that sell and manufacture opiates.  The panel members said they relied on research and their own experience in revising the guidelines, acknowledging "existing weak scientific evidence."


Interestingly, seniors who were prescribed these opioid drugs said that they felt the medication was too strong for their medical complaints.   For the elderly, frequent use of these drugs can lead to dangerous side effects such as falling (and subsequently fracturing bones), getting into car accidents, overdosing, and memory and cognition problems.   Side effects include overdosing, increased risk of falls and fractures in older people, serious cognitive problems and a condition in which opioids actually cause worsening pain.

If you or an elderly loved one feels that you have been wrongly prescribed a painkiller that is too strong, you may need to consult a trained physician about your complaints. Attorney Doug Stoehr is a personal injury lawyer specializing in automobile accidents and elder abuse and neglect.  For more information on his firm, please click here.

Nursing Home Falls and Injuries

Falls in nursing homes are somewhat common occurrences and can lead to serious injury or even death.  Fall prevention practices and guidelines are not always clearly defined or effective.  Unfortunately, some residents labeled as fall risks fail to be properly attended to or given the extra help that they need to complete certain activities.

A study by Nyrop, Zimmerman, and Sloane (2011) studied the phenomenon of nursing-home related falls and how prevention guidelines could address those fall risk patients.  In their study, titled “Physician Perspective on Fall Prevention and Monitoring in Assisted Living: A Pilot Study”, they offered a wealth of information and background knowledge on falls in nursing homes.

According to the study, out of the 1.5 million Americans in nursing homes, an average of 43% of residents will fall every year; those numbers can actually go as high as 75% of residents in a given home.  Additionally, 10-25% of those falls lead to serious injury, such as bone fractures.  Nursing homes residents all together account for about 20% of fall-related deaths in people over 65.  The American Association of Medical Directors is one of a few organizations that have created fall prevention guidelines used by nursing homes.  However, these guidelines are general for all long-term care facilities and not address nursing homes in particular.

If your loved one has recently fallen in a nursing home setting and is now seriously injured, and if you feel that the nursing home has neglected your loved one, it may be time to seek legal assistance.  Attorney Doug Stoehr is a personal injury attorney specializing in nursing home abuse and negligence. For more information on him and his firm, please visit our website or call us at (814) 946-4100.