So they don't slip on tile floors and their feet don't get cold? Like hospital patients everywhere.

Right, I've always gotten grippy socks in the hospital and I've never been a mental health patient (as far as I know).

Fall prevention is an important element in providing good care…and preventing lawsuits. Because hospitals are responsible for preventing falls (and have deep pockets), if someone sustains an injury from a fall in a hospital = probable lawsuit.

No idea. Asking from experience?

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Falls can cause significant injury. Hospitals want to prevent/minimize further injury while patients are in their care. The socks help keep patients feet warm.

The question is why don't we all wear grippy socks.

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Because it makes sliding around on the laminate floor a lot harder. I may be an adult now, but there are certain things i refuse to stop doing...

Shoes can be used for self harm, particularly the laces or any structural metal, such as the shank. So no shoes can be left accessible to someone who may be at risk of harming themselves or others.

Medical facilities have hard floors because they are easier to keep clean/clean up, but hard floors are slippery. This isn’t a big deal for people in shoes, but mental health patients may not be allowed shoes. Enter the grippy sock; keeps your feet from cold hard floors while also keeping you from being Bambi on ice.

It’s worth noting that hospitals give these socks to ALL inpatients, regardless of allowed access to shoes. This is because if you’re mostly in bed but have to get up to go to the bathroom (or walk to the chair or whatever), you don’t necessarily want to take the time to put on shoes to walk ten feet and back. The floor is still slippery though, so by requiring everyone to have the grippy socks, there’s less chance of people slipping.

Some hospitals give you different colored socks depending on how much of a fall risk you are, so if you’re seen wandering about the floor staff know whether or not you should be doing so alone.

Health care facilities in general have very smooth floors for sanitary reasons. Some ordinary socks can provide little traction on a smooth floor that is capable of being waxed so they provide grippy socks to help prevent falls.

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I had surgery recently and I kept my grippy socks.

I don't imagine they would be comfortable inside of shoes, but I don't wear shoes on the house.

I went to a mental hospital and never got grippy socks. That was the worst part about being there. I was disappointed with no grippy socks.

You could be one now and not know it! Oops, I've said to much.

they dont work in shoes, but if youre not wearing shoes, its a fine plan.

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Im pretty sure every patient who is ambulatory gets the grippy socks. Most just prefer wearing socks from home

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shoes are overrated