Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Nursing Home Resident Wanders from NH and is Killed by Car

The Chicago Tribune is reporting on a story of an 80-year old man who was killed by a motor vehicle after he wandered from the nursing home where he is a resident. 

Nursing Homes have a responsibility to assess all of their residents for their risk of wandering or for being a "flight risk." The assessment should be done by the nursing home staff on a continuing basis and to provide interventions to keep the resident from wandering or fleeing. Many residents wander or flee because they suffer from dementia or other conditions that lead to confusion. Common interventions to stop flight risks are alarms, extra supervision, and secured doors into and out of the facility.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect, please contact Illinois Nursing Home Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com. All initial consultations are confidential and free.