There are many risks for older adults living in nursing homes. They are medically vulnerable overall due to the effects of age on the human body. Older adults are prone to falls and broken bones. They tend to be more susceptible to infections and often take longer to heal from injuries. They may also experience cognitive decline that leads to them making unsafe choices.
Issues with compromised decision-making are one reason why families decide to move their loved ones into nursing homes. They worry about a family member falling when everyone is at work for the day or making mistakes with their medication. In theory, nursing homes provide the around-the-clock care that residents need for their overall safety and health. Unfortunately, there are many risks for those living in nursing homes, including the possibility of elopement.
What does elopement entail?
People often think of a Romeo and Juliet situation when they hear the word elopement. They picture two people in love who choose to run away to get married without the consent of their families. That definition of elopement is perfectly valid, but it is not the only definition of the word.
Elopement also means leaving a facility without permission or the knowledge of those in positions of authority. Nursing home elopement occurs when a resident leaves the facility without the permission of their caregivers. In some cases, residents might simply wander out the front doors, not realizing the risk involved.
They could end up lost and stuck outside overnight. Exposure to the elements is a serious safety concern after an elopement incident. So is the risk of a car crash if the older adult wanders into traffic. Being out of the facility might also mean that they don’t receive necessary medication, such as insulin for their diabetes.
Nursing homes can prevent elopement
There are numerous strategies that nursing homes can use to ensure residents don’t leave the facility and endanger themselves. Evaluating residents for cognitive decline and elopement risk can be as important as regularly evaluating them for their overall fall risk.
Moving high-risk people into memory wards with locked exterior doors and limited outside access can sometimes be necessary. Proper staffing practices, such as hourly checks to confirm that residents remain in their rooms at night, are also of the utmost importance for residents’ safety. Most elopements represent a significant failure on the part of the professionals operating a nursing home.
Family members dealing with the aftermath of an elopement incident may have grounds for a nursing home negligence lawsuit. Reviewing the details of the situation with a skilled legal team could help families determine whether taking legal action is a viable option after a loved one gets hurt when they leave a facility without permission.