In Laramie, falls commonly occur during routine care moments where the margin for safety is thin—particularly for residents who are older, have balance issues, or require assistance.
Common scenarios we see in Wyoming long-term care settings include:
- Assistance with transfers (bed-to-chair, chair-to-toilet) when staff response is delayed or inconsistent
- Bathroom and hallway falls tied to wet floors, poor lighting, or inadequate assistive devices
- After-hours incidents when staffing levels and supervision practices are stretched
- Post-medication changes when dizziness, sedation, or confusion are not reflected quickly in fall precautions
- Residents using mobility aids (walkers/wheelchairs) when care plans don’t match actual daily needs
These aren’t “accidents” in the legal sense if preventable hazards, unsafe staffing practices, or incomplete supervision contributed. The goal is to determine what the facility knew beforehand—and what it did (or didn’t do) in time.


