Why Do Nursing Home Residents Wander Off?

There are different reasons why a nursing home patient might leave the facility without the knowledge of the staff. For example:

  • Sometimes this is the result of inadequate training of nursing home staff.
  • Other times it occurs when an inadequate number of properly trained staff members are assigned to care for the residents.

Regardless of the cause, when a nursing home fails to prevent a resident from wandering away from the facility, that resident can suffer serious injuries or even death as a result.

Some potential types of harm that could befall the resident include:

  • Falls
  • Assaults
  • Exposure to cold or harsh weather
  • Other dangerous situations

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