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A Mother's Death and a Warning About Bed Rails

C.

My mother's death certificate states, "Deceased rolled out of bed compressing neck on portable railing." Her name was C. By 81 years of age, she had dementia, she could not move her left arm very well, and she lacked the ability to speak much or to call out. She died of asphyxia in March 2007.

Had I never pursued the matter further, I would have assumed that my mother was the only person to ever have died from asphyxiation on a bed rail. However, the Food and Drug Administration says that between 1985 and 2009, it received reports of 480 deaths, 138 nonfatal injuries, and 185 cases where staff intervened to prevent an injury. The FDA says most of those who were injured or died were “frail, elderly or confused.” The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that between 1993 and 1996 alone, “seventy-four patients died as a result of the use of bed rails."

Like my own family, other families and even doctors may not be aware of the possible risks when bed rail-type products are used in nursing homes or hospitals or even their own homes. This problem is made worse when products on the market do not come with adequate warnings to help users make an informed decision (including some cases where the FDA has reports of previous deaths filed with them about a product).

One wonders how many more deaths it will take before the FDA and the CPSC take action to protect the public.

- G.

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