National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center
Menu
Long-Term Care Consumers Family Members Advocates

Specialized Information for:

Long-Term Care Consumers Family Members Advocates

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This petition is no longer active.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
51-75 of 552 signatures
Number Date Name Organization Location Why do you care about this ...
502 Tue Apr 16 18:20:32 EDT 2013 Mary McClure LTC Ombudsman Program Riverside, CA As an advocate for residents in facilities, there is always potential for harm with bedrails, that makes it our concern.
501 Tue Apr 16 14:19:51 EDT 2013 M Mazziotta Ridley Park, PA WE need to look out for our seniors. We will all be one someday. Respect for seniors preferences and their safety must be balanced with compassion.
500 Tue Apr 16 13:22:24 EDT 2013 Windy Spell Coastal Georgia Ombudsman Program Baxley, GA As an advocate for residents in Long-Term Care facilities. Anything relating to injury to a resident is our concern.
499 Tue Apr 16 09:52:56 EDT 2013 Susan Mongrain-Nock County of San Diego, Ombudsman San Diego, CA I work with elderly in facilities such as board and care homes and nursing facilities. I have seen misuse of bed rails with people who are not cognitively aware, is alarming at times.
498 Tue Apr 16 00:09:26 EDT 2013 Ethel Hudson Chicago, IL My sister is resides at a nursing home. They use bedrails.
497 Mon Apr 15 20:32:20 EDT 2013 JOANIE BOWES-STEPHENS NUCARE MEDICAL CONSULTANTS tampa, FL We care about the medically fragile population and being a advocate for them...
496 Mon Apr 15 18:27:57 EDT 2013 Julya Westfall Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform Richmond, KY Many years of working in and volunteering in nursing homes
495 Mon Apr 15 17:10:17 EDT 2013 Anonymous Bingham, IL
494 Mon Apr 15 17:09:50 EDT 2013 Jean Heistand Ombudsman Vol. Bingham, IL
493 Mon Apr 15 16:14:03 EDT 2013 Doris Beard Ombudsman Services of Northern California Sacramento, CA I am a long-term care ombudsman and have seen documentation of the harm that bed rails, used as restraints, can cause to elderly residents of long term care facilities.
492 Mon Apr 15 15:44:51 EDT 2013 Roxanne Winsor Somerset, MA
491 Sun Apr 14 21:48:08 EDT 2013 Anonymous Fremont, OH Seen how these side rails fail all too often
490 Wed Apr 10 09:55:32 EDT 2013 Kathy Ray-Smith Care Connection for Aging Services Warrensburg, MO I am the Regional LTC Ombudsman for a 13 county area.
489 Tue Apr 09 19:47:59 EDT 2013 LaDoris Kelsey consumer Kearns, UT First I have been in the hospital throughout my life and know first hand about the hospital bed rails. Second I have lost two husbands, not to mention my mother, father, and brother-in-law who helped More....
488 Tue Mar 19 16:13:08 EDT 2013 Alice Jackson Long Term Care Ombudsman Columbia, MO Because I believe the elderly should have the same rights and protection as everyone.
487 Mon Mar 18 16:41:42 EDT 2013 Lisa Hayes AAA of Houston-Galveston Area Houston, TX As a long-term ombudsman, I know that in many dementia residents are unaware of their physical limitations and would fall up and over the bed rails, as well as some other not cognitive residents who squirm More....
486 Tue Mar 12 17:05:31 EDT 2013 Ethel Hudson Chicago, IL My sister is a resident in a nursing home and there are rails on her bed. I will discuss this issue with the facility. It is an important issue facing the elderly.
485 Tue Mar 12 08:59:52 EDT 2013 Jeanne Urban Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, Inc. Clearfield, PA It is important to get this information out there. While LTC facilities are moving to eliminate bedrails, the product appears in homes with increasing frequency. The Consumer Voice needs to work with More....
484 Wed Mar 06 12:45:03 EST 2013 Laurie Closset Area Agency on Aging Phoenix, AZ I work as an Ombudsman and have a high concern about the well-being and safety of the residents.
483 Wed Mar 06 05:13:59 EST 2013 Anonymous Temple, TX Social work student interested in advocacy for the elderly
482 Tue Mar 05 22:03:05 EST 2013 Anonymous Bingham, IL Because my husband was in a NH, and they put rails up, it only confused him.
481 Mon Mar 04 15:01:35 EST 2013 Judith Stanton Pittsboro , NC My mother needed something in the last years of her dementia but her assisted living facility (or the state of NC) didn't allow them because of these dangers. she had bad falls out of the bed, More....
480 Sat Mar 02 10:39:14 EST 2013 Jill Isaacs N.Y.State Ombudsman Chestnut ridge, NY Duering my 40+ years of Nursing I have senn many elderly pts, having not been able to get themselves free from siderailsand becoming dependent on caregivers to help them. Lets keep all of our elderly safe More....
479 Fri Mar 01 13:47:43 EST 2013 ALICIA SALINAS salinasa@elderaffairs.org Miami, FL We advocate for residents rights in long term care facilities. And we educate the facility administrators and caretakers about the potential dangers of bed rails.
478 Fri Mar 01 13:30:46 EST 2013 Dale Watson (SC) Lt. Governor's Office on Aging Columbia, SC I am an advocate for residents in long term care facilities. As the State Ombudsman, we hear from the families and work to educate families about the potential dangers of bed rails.
<- Prev Next ->

 Thank you for your support!

Consumer Voice ClearinghouseYour one-stop destination for long-term care information

Help to Honor World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15th June 03, 2014

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is June 15th, 2014. Find out more information about how you can participate in this important event.

Take Action
Let Your Legislators Know You Support Elder Justice Funding! May 02, 2014

Elder abuse is rising, while federal funding for the Elder Justice Act has remained the same – nothing. However, progress may finally be underway. The President has done his part and included important elder justice funding in his budget. Now it’s up to Congress! Tell your legislators to support the Administration’s request today.

Take Action
Tell Congress to Reauthorize the Older Americans Act! April 25, 2014

The OAA was supposed to be reauthorized in 2011.  With every day that passes, the future of critical programs that serve seniors is more and more uncertain.  Help us send a message to Congress about this important program.

Take Action
Progress on the Elder Justice Initiative in the Senate, but your help is still needed! June 11, 2014

Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-Education concluded the markup of its Fiscal Year Appropriations bill. This legislation, which puts forth funding amounts for all programs under the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education, included $10 million for the President’s Elder Justice Initiative. However, your help is still needed to urge Congress to fund this important initiative!

Action Update
Join Us for the Virtual Kick-Off of our Staffing Campaign! June 11, 2014

You are invited to the Virtual Kickoff of our Nursing Home Staffing Public Awareness Campaign; Tuesday, June 24, 2014; 2:00 – 3:15 pm ET. This 75 minute webinar/teleconference that will include both an official launch and an educational and action component.

News Article
Consumer Voice Staff Present on Nursing Home Transitions June 09, 2014

On May 28th, the Consumer Voice’s Sara Cirba and Amity Overall Laib presented in a webinar hosted by the National Legal Resource Center entitled “Supporting Consumers Who Transition Out of Nursing Homes.”

News Article
Applications Now Available For FREE Advocacy Skills Trainings! June 09, 2014

As part of our Consumers for Quality Care, No Matter Where initiative, the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (Consumer Voice) is offering FREE state-based, in-person advocacy trainings for individuals and groups with the capacity to make an impact on policy and contribute to the Consumer Voice’s national efforts. Applications for these trainings are now available - we welcome long-term care ombudsman programs, Citizen Advocacy Groups, family/caregiving groups, consumer alliances, disability groups, community organizations, senior organizations and others to apply to receive these trainings.

News Article