George Morrison: A fatal patient fall

George Morrison died on Nov. 17 from a fall in the hospital at age 89. He had been the US Navy commander of the fleet during the Tonkin Gulf incident that led to the escalation of the Vietnam War. He is the father of the late Jim Morrison, the lead singer of the Doors.

Advice to people with an elderly family member in the hospital: Ask the nurse if your family member is at risk of falling, and what can be done to prevent a fall in the hospital. Hospitals often have protocols to reduce the chance of a fall for at-risk patients. The drugs that many elderly people take sometimes have dizziness as a side-effect.

Read a story of successful fall prevention.

Thanks to William Grimes for the source story in today's New York Times.