How can falls be prevented in nursing homes?

A: Older people, especially those in nursing homes, are often unsteady on their feet, and some of them use canes and walkers.  In nursing homes, supervision and the correct staffing can help prevent falls.  Doctors often prescribe one-on-one or two-on-one care for a patient any time the patient is out of bed.  If these orders are not followed, with a caregiver right next to the patient holding his or her arm, the patient could fall and break a hip, requiring a surgical hip replacement.  Some patients who have fallen hit their heads, get a concussion and die as a result of improper care.  Falls can almost always be prevented in nursing homes with the proper care, if nurses and the facility follow the doctor's orders.