A resident at the Grove Living and Rehab nursing home in Skokie, Illinois fell to the ground while being transferred using a sit-to-stand lift at the facility.
The resident was admitted to the facility with diagnoses that included dementia, multiple sclerosis, seizures and osteoporosis.
The resident’s plan of care called for two staff members and the use of a full body lift. A full body lift utilizes slings and an overhead winch to completely support the entire weight of the resident. For residents who cannot reliably support themselves due to a lack of upper body strength, a full body lift is the only safe option.
Instead of the two person transfer, however, a single staff member attempted to transfer the resident using a sit-to-stand lift. A sit-to-stand lift has handles that the resident holds onto while the machine pulls them to their feet. It requires a significant amount of strength on the part of the resident, who must be able to support their entire weight.
Each diagnosis that the resident has would make a sit-to-stand lift highly questionable. But using a sit-to-stand with a resident that has all four diagnoses makes for a very predictable accident. The resident was unable to support her weight, and she fell to the ground. Her hip was fractured in the nursing home fall.
Grove of Skokie Living and Rehab Administrators claim that the staff member, who is no longer working at the facility, was properly trained and never asked for assistance with the transfer.
One of our core beliefs is that nursing homes are built to fail due to the business model they follow and that unnecessary injuries and illnesses and wrongful deaths of residents are the inevitable result. Order our FREE report, Built to Fail, to learn more about why. Our experienced Chicago nursing home lawyers are ready to help you understand what happened, why, and what your rights are. Contact us to get the help you need.
Other blog posts on nursing home falls:
Single aide transfer at Helia Healthcare in Carbondale results in injury
Multiple failed transfers at Medina Nursing Center in Durand