Elimination of position-change alarms in an Alzheimer's and dementia long-term care facility

Abstract

In a long-term care facility, whose residents have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or dementia, falls are a particularly prominent issue. Technology in health care has continued to evolve and play a larger role in how we care for our patients, even in preventing falls. However, overreliance on these types of technologies may have detrimental effects. In our facility, it was felt that staff reliance on position-change alarms was inappropriate due to the high rate of false alarms associated with these devices. We took a tiered approach to removing position-change alarms from our facility, monitoring the fall incidence rate for a period before, during, and after the elimination of these alarms. After discontinuing their use, we found a decrease in the rate of falls, and a decrease in the percentage of our residents who fell. Staff has easily adapted and reports a calmer, more pleasant environment. © 2011 SAGE Publications.