Is Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Prevalent?

According to a 2008 study, upwards of 90% of 15,000 studied nursing homes in the United States had been found to be in breach of health or safety requirements. Only 39% of about 37,150 allegations submitted had been found to be true. Twenty percent of them were sufficiently dangerous that they caused immediate harm to inhabitants or put them at risk of injury or death. All the more worrisome were the figures for nursing home neglect and abuse, which indicated that the overwhelming bulk of all occurrences of nursing home abuse goes unreported.

The National Center on Elder Abuse released a study in 2013 that highlighted the issue of senior abuse in the United States. Approximately 6 million elderly people were mistreated by family and/or caretakers, per the report. Neglect, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and financial abuse are all examples of abusive mistreatment. The statistics for nursing homes are quite alarming. According to the survey, 91% of nursing homes do not have enough employees to appropriately care for all of their residents. The absence of employees is a major contributor to the current epidemic of neglect. In addition, 36% of care facilities violated elderly abuse laws. 

Definitions of Abuse and Neglect

Nursing home residents are particularly prone to exploitation and mistreatment due to their age and fragility. Nearly 2 million incidences of caregiver abuse are recorded annually. Unfortunately, since inhabitants are intimidated or coerced by such predatory caretakers, the majority of incidents go undetected. The best method of protecting your loved one is to go to the nursing home, look out for warning signs, and see whether you have enough evidence to file a lawsuit. But before you call nursing home abuse lawyers at Janicek Law, it’s critical to know what acts are considered “abuse” or “neglect.”

Neglect of basic needs occurs when an institution does not offer enough hydration or nourishment, fails to acknowledge cleanliness and incontinence, or fails to provide a secure and safe environment for the patient.

Medical neglect occurs when nursing home employees don’t provide emergency medical care necessities and medical treatment for life-threatening diseases, like diabetes or traumatic wounds.

Physical Abuse occurs when a nursing home employee inflicts physical pain or harm on an elder through hitting, spitting, choking, etc.

Sexual Abuse occurs when a nursing home employee engages in any form of sexual touching or intercourse without the elderly person’s consent.

Exploitation is the unlawful seizure, abuse, or deception of an elderly person’s finances, property, or assets for someone else’s gain.

Emotional Abuse is the intentional infliction of emotional pain or manipulation on an elderly person. This can happen through verbal or non-verbal behaviors such as humiliation, fear, or threats.

Abandonment happens when a nursing home employee abandons a defenseless senior. As a result, the elderly person may not have their basic needs met.