Now that we’re heading into summer, more people in nursing homes will likely be spending time outside as much as they’re able to. Although they should be supervised by staff, some may try to leave the premises on their own. Unfortunately, some succeed in “eloping.”
According to the National Institute for Elopement Prevention and Resolution (NIEPR), elopement occurs “when a patient or resident who is cognitively, physically, mentally, emotionally, and/or chemically impaired wanders away, walks away, runs away, escapes, or otherwise leaves a care-giving facility or environment unsupervised, unnoticed, and/or prior to their scheduled discharge.”
A resident who goes off the grounds without proper supervision can be struck by a car, become the victim of a violent attack or succumb to the elements – particularly in the winter. Nursing home residents have been seriously injured and killed in all of these circumstances.
Not all residents who elope are suffering from dementia
While many patients who elope do suffer from some kind of cognitive impairment, that’s not true for all of them. A new medication can leave a person confused and disoriented, for example. So can being given the wrong dosage or the wrong drug.
Residents are most likely to elope within the first few days in a facility. Sometimes, it happens out of confusion – especially at night. Other times, they just want to go home.
Nursing homes must take preventive measures to prevent elopement
Nursing homes have a duty to have safeguards to prevent elopement by any resident. These safeguards can’t just be in place for those in memory care units.
Common safeguards include alarmed doors and gates that require codes to open. There should be monitored surveillance cameras around these points and elsewhere inside and outside. All staff should be trained on the facility’s protocols for how to respond when someone is missing.
It’s crucial for families looking at care facilities for their loved ones to find out what they do to prevent elopement, whether their loved one is cognitively impaired or not. If a loved one has been harmed due to elopement or has suffered injury or illness caused by negligence or abuse, getting legal guidance as soon as possible can help determine how to go about seeking justice and compensation.
