Elder abuse in general is a widespread and underreported problem worldwide. Nursing home abuse is just one segment of a broader problem. Some elder abuse is committed by family members of the victim, but nursing home residents are much more likely to be victims of abuse than those who live at home.
It is difficult to determine exactly how prevalent nursing home abuse is, along with elder abuse generally, because research has shown that only a small fraction of cases are ever reported. This is due to several factors, including the fact that many abusers are relatives of the victim, many victims have cognitive or physical impairments that prevent them from communicating effectively, and many victims are reluctant or afraid to report abuse for fear of retaliation. Nursing home abuse is also a phenomenon that has not been as widely studied as other forms of abuse, but there is evidence that it may be frighteningly common.
Over three million people lived in nursing homes in the U.S. in 2008, with a further one million living in assisted living facilities. Two thirds of these residents are female, and 6 out of 7 are 65 or older. Almost one third of nursing homes were cited for violations of federal standards between 1999 and 2001. Nearly 10% had violations that caused residents harm, serious injury, or placed them in jeopardy of death.
In interviews with 2,000 residents of nursing homes, 44% reported having been abused and a staggering 95% said they had been neglected or witnessed neglect of another resident. One study found that more than 50% of nursing home staff admitted to mistreatment of residents within the past year, two thirds of which involved neglect. A survey of certified nursing assistants revealed that 17% had pushed, grabbed, or shoved a nursing home resident, 51% had yelled at a resident, and 23% had insulted or sworn at a resident. Seven percent of complaints to long term care ombudsmen were reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
According to ombudsmen complaints in 2010, the most common type of abuse in nursing homes was physical abuse at 29%, followed closely by resident to resident abuse at 22% and psychological abuse at 21%. Less common complaints were about neglect, financial exploitation, and sexual abuse.
One of the biggest contributors to nursing home abuse is the fact that approximately 90% of nursing homes are understaffed. As a result of understaffing, nursing home staff are often overworked and underpaid. Abuse can also result from a lack of adequate training for staff members, shortage of resources, and poor supervision or management of staff.
Two thirds of nursing home abuse victims are female, largely due to the fact that women live longer and therefore make up a greater proportion of the nursing home population. Victims of abuse are more likely to be of low socioeconomic status, such as those on Medicaid, which may reflect a tendency for Medicare and Medicaid recipients to end up in lower-quality facilities. Large for-profit nursing homes are more likely than non-profit and government-run nursing homes to have lower quality of care and understaffing issues.
Unfortunately, residents with disabilities are more likely to experience nursing home abuse, as are residents with Alzheimer’s disease. Nearly 50% of people with dementia are victims of abuse or neglect.
Victims of elder abuse are 300 times more likely to suffer premature death. They are also vulnerable to depression and other psychological problems. With the elderly population growing rapidly with each passing year, stopping and preventing nursing home abuse is of critical importance. Abuse can be prevented with adequate staffing levels and training of staff. In the meantime, known or suspected abuse should be reported to the proper authorities, and victims should consider consulting a nursing home abuse lawyer.
This post was last modified on March 31, 2021 7:21 am
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