Question

Scenario: Alzheimer's resident wanders away and falls down stairs

At 88, Eunice suffered from fairly advanced Alzheimers disease, but her general health was good and she walked well with a walker. She was known to try and leave the facility. Despite this knowledge, Eunice walked out of the facility's rear door unnoticed one day, and down a long walkway toward a concrete stairwell. The courtyard contained all kinds of hazards, but most dangerous was the stairwell. Because of her illness, Eunice was unable to negotiate the stairs, falling down them, and fracturing her arm, hip, and leg. She survived but required surgery and rehabilitation.

Questions:
1. What type of abuse? (physical, abandoment, etc)
2. Precipitating situations that may lead to abuse.
3. Reporting, State and federal laws, forms to fill out, who does it and contacts to be made.
4. Nursing care to be given (holistic approach)
5. Preventive measures (what might have prevented this from happening -please look at the entire system. Think out of box, your suggestions even if this is not currently being done)

Answer 1

The abuse in the described Alzheimer's resident's case is considered neglect, with preventive measures and reporting standards being crucial for proper elder care. Nursing care for such patients should be holistic, addressing physical and emotional needs, and maintaining a safe environment.

Step-by-step explanation:

Addressing Elder Abuse in a Healthcare Setting

In the scenario presented, the type of abuse can be categorized primarily as neglect, given that Eunice was able to wander off and fall without staff noticing. Additionally, this could potentially extend to aspects of physical abuse due to the environment's hazards.

Precipitating situations that may lead to abuse include caregiver stress, inexperience, high demand on caretakers, and a lack of support and training for those caring for individuals with advanced conditions like Alzheimer’s. As for reporting, it involves adherence to state and federal laws, with professionals needing to fill out appropriate forms and contact state adult protective services or the ombudsman program. Typically, nurses, social workers, or facility administrators carry out these responsibilities.

Nursing care from a holistic approach includes not only treating Eunice’s physical injuries but also addressing her emotional needs and ensuring the environment is safe and supportive to prevent future incidents. Preventive measures might have included a more comprehensive safety protocol, alert systems, better staff training, adequate staffing levels, engagement activities to reduce the chances of wandering, and perhaps technology like GPS trackers or door alarms.