IS SAFETY COMPATIBLE WITH HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE?
Providing safe care for individuals with physical and mental limitations is a universal concern. There is now convincing evidence that safe care can be provided without applying physical restraints which unduly restrict freedom and create other serious risks. Safe care can be ensured through the use of alternative safety measures, which can be tailored to meet an individual’s specific needs, ensuring the best possible quality of life. Nursing home residents are particularly susceptible to falls, but they may be placed at even greater risk as a result of restricted physical activity. There is no effective and humane way to prevent all falls. Facilities that have dramatically reduced physical restraint use have not experienced an increase in serious injuries and have seen marked decreases in the incidence of agitated behavior among residents. Reducing the use of physical restraints is a national goal which is being promoted by care givers from all segments of the health care team. The mo
