Omaha Senior AdvisorWhat should we do right after a parent falls?
Get a medical evaluation even if there is no obvious injury, ask the doctor to review medications that cause dizziness or low blood pressure, and ask whether physical therapy or a home safety evaluation is needed; a fall is often a sign of an underlying problem.
If the fall led to a hospital stay, see our hospital discharge guide. A doctor can order Medicare home health physical therapy for a homebound patient at no cost when the agency is Medicare-certified.
How can we make an Omaha home safer after a fall?
Remove loose rugs and clutter, add grab bars in the bathroom and railings on both sides of stairs, improve lighting, move everyday items within reach, and consider a shower chair and raised toilet seat; for eligible people the AD Waiver can pay for home modifications such as ramps and bathroom changes.
A personal emergency response system that a parent wears all the time is essential for anyone who lives alone after a fall. ENOA runs an emergency response system program, and the AD Waiver covers PERS for eligible participants.
When does a fall mean a move to assisted living?
When falls repeat, when a parent cannot get up alone or call for help, when fear of falling keeps them from moving, or when the home cannot be made safe, assisted living, with staff on site at all hours, is often the safer choice.
Ask any ALF how it responds to falls, how often it checks on residents at night, and whether apartments have emergency call systems. Ask too how many falls with injury it has had; it may not track that publicly, but its answer is informative.
How do nursing homes handle falls?
CMS tracks falls with major injury as a quality measure for nursing homes, and inspections cite homes that fail to prevent avoidable falls; our facility pages show each home's ratings and latest inspection results so you can ask about any fall-related deficiencies.
In a nursing home, ask about the fall prevention program, how residents at high risk are identified, and whether bed and chair alarms or low beds are used.
Who can do a home safety check in the Omaha area?
A physical or occupational therapist from a Medicare-certified home health agency can assess the home when a doctor orders home health, and ENOA's care managers include home safety in their comprehensive assessment for adults 60 and older.
For eligible AD Waiver participants, the services coordinator can arrange home modifications.
Sources include 175 NAC 4 (assisted-living facilities), the Nebraska Revised Statutes cited above, Nebraska DHHS program and licensure pages, CMS, CareScout and VA rate tables; see our editorial standards.
