Elopement - What Can A Nursing Home Facility Do To Prevent Residents From Wandering?

Posted on November 19, 2009 by John R Kormanik

Elopement, it is not just for teenagers. According to Merriam-Webster Online, in addition to running away to get married, the word "elopement" means: "to slip away." When nursing home or assisted living facility residents "slip away" it often has serious consequences. There are both "simple" and highly technical methods which a facility can employ to ensure your loved one is safe and secure in the facility chosen to care for them.

Recently, Illinois attorney Jonathan Rosenfeld, an Illinois attorney specializing in nursing home abuse litigation, was interviewed for an article concerning elopement. Jonathan was good enough to blog about his interview, providing seven key preventative measures to prevent "wandering." According to Jonathan, nursing homes which care for residents prone to wander or "elope" should employ the following safeguards:

  • Door alarms
  • Window locks
  • Door locks
  • Bracelets that track each resident's location
  • Hire adequate staff to look after residents
  • Have contingent plan in case a resident does wander from the facility

Although of these safeguards are important, in my view, the requirement of a contingent plan is critical. The saying goes "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," however, even with all the "prevention" in the world, some times a "cure" is required. If your loved one is in a nursing home, and wanders away, it is critical the staff has a plan in place to contact the appropriate authorities, conduct a search and notify you, the family.

If someone you love is a resident in a nursing home, ask what safeguards they have in place for preventing elopement. Make sure they have appropriate safeguards in place as well as a plan in place to quickly and efficiently locate any resident who wanders away from the facility. If the nursing home's safeguards or plan are inadequate, take the initiative and suggest ways the facility can improve its plan. Remember, the nursing home should welcome your input...after all, you have nothing but the best interests of your loved one and, by extension, the facility, in mind.

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Handwashing Will Protect Nursing Home Residents From Infection

Posted on November 3, 2009 by John R Kormanik

With all the news about H1N1 "Swine Flu," focus has turned to methods to protect ourselves from becoming infected. The Swine Flu is serious, no doubt, but the methods for protecting yourself from becoming infected with the Swine Flu apply to ensuring you are not infected by just about any similar contagious disease.

RISKS OF BECOMING INFECTED WITH THE FLU VIRUS

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), although people 65 years old and older are least likely to become infected with the H1N1 Swine Flu virus, if such a person does get infected, they are at "high risk" to develop serious complications from the virus. Additionally, the CDC believes those 65 years and older are at "increased risk" for serious complications from the seasonal flu as well. As a nursing home or assisted living facility resident, how can you protect yourself? Simple, wash your hands and make sure all those who come in contact with you do the same.

PROPER HANDWASHING IS A SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE PREVENTATIVE MEASURE

The CDC believes: "Handwashing is a simple thing and it is the best way to prevent infection and illness." Although handwashing seems like a simple process, which all of us have seemingly been doing since we were 2 years old, the CDC provides the following guidelines for effective and proper handwashing:

When washing hands with soap and water:

  • Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if it is available.
  • Rub hands together to make a lather and scrub all surfaces.
  • Continue rubbing hands for 15-20 seconds. Need a timer? Imagine singing "Happy Birthday" twice through to a friend.
  • Rinse hands well under running water.
  • Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet.
  • Always use soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
  • If soap and clean water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub to clean your hands. Alcohol-based hand rubs significantly reduce the number of germs on skin and are fast-acting.

When using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer:

  • Apply product to the palm of one hand.
  • Rub hands together.
  • Rub the product over all surfaces of hands and fingers until hands are dry. 

A simple and effective method of ensuring people wash their hands is to purchase a container of alcohol-based hand sanitizer and put it on a table in your room. Do not be shy about asking people to use it! It is up to you to make sure people who come into your room wash their hands.

Protect yourself from infection by making sure those who come in contact with you, whether they be staff caring for you or friends and family visiting you, wash their hands. The alternative, becoming infected with a contagious disease to save a few minutes of time just is not worth the risk. 

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