Bryan Fire Department says non-emergency calls from senior living homes put strain on resources, taxpayers

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – One in four adults over the age of 65 report falling each year. If they’re living in a senior care facility, it likely means that 911 is called for each incident.

It’s a national issue with a local impact. The Bryan Fire Department said these calls are impacting their service by pulling first responders away from other emergencies.

Over the past two years, the Bryan Fire Department responded to nearly 4,000 of these nonemergency fall assist calls.

Spokesperson Chris Lamb said more often than not, the senior facility residents they’re called to assist are uninjured, and typically just need a hand getting up.

These calls take around an hour to respond to, diverting emergency vehicles and first responders from answering other calls.

“The concern is that there have been times that when we’re on these non-emergency calls that a real-life emergency happens nearby or in that district and it delays response,” he said.

However, not all senior housing is equipped with a medical staff that could help in the event of a fall. Assisted living or independent living facilities typically do not have a full medical team on staff, compared to a skilled nursing home.

As a result, experts say it’s common practice for senior care facilities to call 911 when a resident falls, whether or not they’re injured or in distress.

“Most states require you to dial 911 when somebody has fallen,” David Schless, president of the American Seniors Housing Association, said.

But not all of these calls are emergencies.

“There are calls where people just need assistance going to the restroom and then back to bed,” Lamb added.

To combat this, other communities are considering a ‘lift assist fee,’ essentially charging care facilities for those calls instead of the taxpayer.

Schless thinks these fees are problematic.

“To charge someone for an emergency response call in assisted living versus any other setting is, we believe it is unlawful and discriminatory,” he said.

The Bryan Fire Department is looking for a partnership with care facilities to explore other options, such as training staff on handling residents that have fallen, or investing in specialized lifting equipment.

Lamb said resources should be kept available for real emergencies.

“Adding that load into the already taxed 911 call volume is a safety concern for citizens,” he said.

According to Lamb, part of the solution also includes setting up policies and guidelines that explain when it’s appropriate for care facilities to call 911.