Dedham, Mass., health center ends use of alarms

There have been fewer falls and the number of falls that result in injury has remained stable.

By Healthcare Facilities Today


The long term care health center at NewBridge on the Charles is ending the use of most alarms on resident beds and wheelchairs. The facility, run by Hebrew Senior Life, is also adding two more wings, specializing in Alzheimer's care, according to an article on The Patriot Ledger website

The alarms have been removed from the beds and wheelchairs on most of the other floors or households without any adverse outcomes, the article said.

There have been fewer falls and the number of falls that result in injury has remained stable. Residents have reported they are less bothered by the noise of alarms constantly going off.

"Hebrew Senior Life is on the cutting edge of a concept much like the removal of passive restraints that took place several years ago," Anne Thomas, executive director of the health center, said in the article.

Studies show that more than 70 percent of residents in a long term care setting have some type of dementia, Thomas said.

"To respond to this trend, we have designated two households as memory support households, with staff specially chosen and trained."

Read the article.

 

 

 



February 6, 2014


Topic Area: Safety


Recent Posts

Redefining What Mental Health Facilities Look Like

A new Mental Health and Addictions Center uses design and architecture to challenge the stigma and create a more open model of care.


Managing High-Volume Laundry Operations 

Tips and tricks one director has learned in three decades of managing a large, high-volume laundry operation.


University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Falls Victim to Vendor Data Breach

A health information network named “Health Gorilla” improperly accessed medical records available through the national network used to exchange medical information.


Optimizing the Engineering Design of Ambulatory Care Facilities

Designing cost-effective engineering systems is not about minimizing investment but about investing strategically.


Construction Completed on Washington Health Urgent Care Facility in California

The design team maximized the existing footprint to accommodate five exam rooms, a dedicated procedure room and an X-ray room.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.