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Protect the Elderly from Dangerous Bed Rails

To: Consumer Product Safety Commission, Food and Drug Administration

Please protect vulnerable elderly consumers by establishing minimum safety standards for all adult bed rails and prohibiting the use of dangerous bed rails currently in use.

No medical device or consumer product should kill or injure those who use it. Yet as you know, that is exactly what many bed rails – both portable rails that can be attached to a bed and bed systems with side bed rails – have been doing for years.

The statistics are appalling:

-- Data from the Food and Drug Administration show that 550 people have died from bed rails since 1995;

-- Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) data reveal that almost 37,000 people have been injured between 2003 and 2012.

Sadly, we know that the numbers of elderly and other consumers impacted by dangerous bed rails are even higher due to under-reporting.

When data from the CPSC showed that there were 13 child fatalities in a 10-year period, the agency moved appropriately to promulgate regulations to protect children. The New York Times reported that 10 times or more adults than children have died in a similar time period, yet there are no mandatory standards in place for adult bed rails.

In this country we've worked hard to keep vulnerable children safe in bed. Why can't we do the same for the vulnerable elderly? We need regulations that prevent deaths and injuries from bed rails - regardless of how they are classified and where they are found. We, the undersigned, urge the CPSC and FDA to develop mandatory safety rules and to resolve any jurisdictional issues between agencies.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
This petition is no longer active.
This petition has a goal of 1000 signatures
1-25 of 552 signatures
Number Date Name Organization Location Why do you care about this ...
552 Mon Jul 08 10:16:47 EDT 2013 Sandra Johnson Glasgow, KY I am a volunteer Ombudsman
551 Wed Jul 03 11:10:05 EDT 2013 Lisa Haynes The Barren River Long Term Care Ombudsman Program Bowling Green, KY I work for the Barren River Ombudsman Program and feel it is very important to protect our elderly from dangerous product use. Without us, they would have no one to fight on their behalf.
550 Tue Jul 02 14:07:51 EDT 2013 Lynn Smith Washington Co Commission on Aging Hagerstown, MD I am a LTC ombudsman in MD.
549 Tue Jun 25 20:16:24 EDT 2013 Patsy Cowan Sulphur Springs, TX I am an volunteer Ombudsman and care about safety.
548 Mon Jun 17 12:56:01 EDT 2013 Kaitlin Holmes Ann Arbor, MI
547 Wed Jun 05 21:47:51 EDT 2013 Jenifer Williams Surviving Nursing Home Life Buffalo, NY During a period of about 6 years I was a Nursing Home resident. I've seen first hand the bruises, and bumps residents have suffered because of rails that are too bulky, and not padded. Even the spacing More....
546 Tue May 07 18:42:26 EDT 2013 Margaret Niederer IL I know that there have been recent violations of using bed rails that are in need of repair. One facility uses duck tape instead of repairing them resulting in repeat hosptializations and death.
545 Tue May 07 07:03:06 EDT 2013 Anonymous redwood city, CA My mother elected to rest on her bed in her nursing home room. I stepped out of the room for less than 2 minutes only to find staff running toward my mother's room. My mother was 100 percent mobile at More....
544 Thu May 02 22:26:18 EDT 2013 Edward Betson Culpepper, VA all of it i want so much just nto be heard and im not a good talker but i can get my point across i am an elderly caregiver and the bull i have seen being done to all the healthcare from drs to walgreens More....
543 Wed May 01 22:11:26 EDT 2013 Stevanne Ellis Baltimore, MD
542 Wed May 01 15:46:37 EDT 2013 Tony Fullbright State of Oklahoma Ombudsman Office Shawnee, OK I care about the safety and well being of residents in LTC facilities.
541 Fri Apr 26 12:39:52 EDT 2013 Ruben Sotelo ASCOG Area Agency on Aging Duncan, OK Safety concerns
540 Fri Apr 26 09:28:07 EDT 2013 Anonymous Chapel Hill, NC My committee visits residents in long term care gacilities and we are deeply interested in promoting the safety of our elder citizens and in preventing them from being harmed.
539 Thu Apr 25 21:37:27 EDT 2013 Donna Wooton cincinnati, OH
538 Thu Apr 25 21:06:38 EDT 2013 Peggy Abernathy WA LTC Ombudsman volunteer Issaquah, WA My deceased husband climbed over the rails and fell on
the floor injuring his ribs. This should have been
preventable!
537 Thu Apr 25 13:18:09 EDT 2013 Anonymous Ventura, CA We have residents in our county who have died from trying to get out of bed and getting caught in the rails. We are very supportive and eliminating these dangerous restraints
536 Mon Apr 22 16:26:37 EDT 2013 Tracy Hamilton Stoddard Baptist Nursing Home Washington, DC I care about this issue because as a Social Worker it is my mission to ensure the safety of vulnerable populations.
535 Mon Apr 22 15:02:36 EDT 2013 Marcia Luckabaugh Bowling Green, KY
534 Mon Apr 22 15:02:13 EDT 2013 Marcia Luckabaugh Bowling Green, KY
533 Mon Apr 22 12:12:47 EDT 2013 Garold Edwards Felton, CA I work as a long term care ombudsman, and I know the inherent dangers of these devices.
532 Mon Apr 22 11:10:49 EDT 2013 Susan Berkowitz-Schwartz All People's Day Delray Beach, FL
531 Mon Apr 22 11:03:37 EDT 2013 Anonymous Scituate, MA An unexplained wound on mother's arm which occurred between my leaving her one evening and returning next day. As only those who have relative/friend in a LTCF know- firsthand- it is just one of the many More....
530 Mon Apr 22 10:47:57 EDT 2013 Anonymous Largo, FL In an assisted living facility, although generally bed rails are not allowed in alfs, I was one man get stuck in bedrails. He called for help, I heard him and went across hall and called nurses. He More....
529 Mon Apr 22 10:32:00 EDT 2013 Sue Davidson Area Agency on Aging PSA8 Reno, OH I am a Long-Term Care Ombudsman. We need to advocate for vulnerable individuals due to the danger of bedrails.
528 Mon Apr 22 10:21:28 EDT 2013 Kathleen Weidner Council on Aging Orange County Santa Ana, CA Bed rails are a form of restraint, depriving the elderly person of their rights, freedom and dignity. They are also dangerous.
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