The often missed answer to the question of why a nursing home resident fell

Unfortunately, it’s a fact pattern Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys who prosecute Illinois nursing home neglect cases hear all too often: patients are often injured because of falling.

The question is: what is causing these falls? Medication Administrator Records (often referred to in the nursing home chart as “MARS”) are a good place to look for clues about what is causing a resident to fall, and it’s often where experienced Illinois nursing home negligence lawyers look first.

Nursing home residents are often given psychotropic drugs.  Occasionally, these drugs are warranted based on resident’s underlying disease process or mental state.  However, sometimes it’s been alleged that these drugs make it easier for a nursing home to use fewer paid staff members to “monitor” residents.

The administration of psychotropic drugs is causally linked to a condition called orthostatic hypotension, which is a temporary decrease in blood pressure.  This decrease in blood pressure can cause lightheadedness, dizziness and fainting.  This condition is often directly related to falls.  Nursing home residents are believed to be more susceptible to orthostatic hypotension caused falls because the average resident has other ongoing disease processes.  The resident with an orthostatic hypotension condition may feel fine while sitting or at rest.  But just a few steps into a walk she may collapse and fall.  This is a common phenomenon discovered by Illinois nursing home neglect attorneys.  It’s also preventable.

There are procedures for nursing homes to assess residents at risk for orthostatic hypotension caused falls.   However. preventative measures all require staff time.  Staff time means increased labor costs and decreased corporate profits.  That’s why the preventative measures often are not done.  That’s why many residents are subjected to falls caused by orthostatic hypotension.  That’s why so many Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys are forced to prosecute so many Illinois nursing home neglect cases.

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