Who Is Most at Risk for Abuse in a Nursing Home?

Nursing home abuse is a troubling reality many elderly Americans face today. Unfortunately, it can affect the most vulnerable of our seniors and, in some cases, put their health and safety at risk.

Defining Elderly Abuse in Nursing Homes

The Administration for Community Living, an agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services, defines elderly abuse as intentional or negligent acts by professional caregivers or individuals entrusted with an elderly’s care that harms or causes serious risk of harm to older adults.

Nuances in the definition can vary per state. Generally, however, elder abuse occurs when an elderly person (65 years old or older) experiences abuse from a caregiver or someone they trust.

Demographics of People at Risk for Abuse in Nursing Homes

More than 3.2 million older adults live in long-term care facilities across the US, and this number is expected to grow in the coming years. But what is concerning is that the incidents of abuse in a nursing home are also high.

In 2020 alone, over 15,000 complaints were filed through nursing home ombudsmen, the nursing home representatives in charge of addressing and solving issues regarding residents’ safety, health, rights, and welfare. However, these are only reported incidents and do not include unreported abuse, incidents of which are suspected to be much higher.

If a parent, grandparent, or an elderly relative or friend is going to a nursing home, you should be aware of the risks they might face. Anyone can be a victim of elder abuse in nursing homes, but some people are more susceptible to it than others. Below are the demographic risk factors for abuse in nursing homes:

• Gender –  The National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC) reports that women are more at risk of abuse than men, with 66% of elder abuse victims being females. However, race also affects this demographic. Statistics show that among African American victims, 70% are female. But among Caucasian victims, 90% are males.

• Socioeconomic Status – Residents from a low socioeconomic background are more at risk, especially those who rely on Medicaid. They are more prone to neglect or abuse because they end up staying in ill-equipped, understaffed facilities. Nursing homes with stellar reputations that can provide higher quality care are often only accessible to families who can afford them, leaving older people living below the poverty line extremely vulnerable to abusive and neglectful care.

• Health Status – People with poor mental or physical health have a high risk of abuse or exploitation in nursing homes. In fact, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) report that almost 50% of elderly afflicted with dementia have experienced neglect or abuse.These residents are the perfect victims because they cannot communicate their complaints to their family or the nursing home administrators, and are often disbelieved when they do report abuse. As such, older people with dementia or Alzheimer’s are more prone to abuse than their peers with full cognitive and physical control.

• Family – Nursing home residents whose family members live far away or don’t visit them regularly are more likely to experience abuse than elderly residents who have frequent visitors and phone calls from friends and family. Sadly, those without family members checking on them are the most vulnerable to abuse.

• Race – An early study by the Department of Health and Human Services revealed that elderly nursing home residents of African-American descent are at high risk, with one out of six African-American nursing home residents suffering or at risk of abuse. Additionally, incidents of abuse involving Caucasian residents are more likely to be reported than incidents with African American residents.

• Age – Regardless of race, elderly residents in their late 70s and older are at higher risk of abuse than younger residents because they are less alert and aware of their surroundings and bodies as they age. As such, abusers can exploit their vulnerabilities without being noticed.

• Disposition and Mental Condition – Aggressive and combative residents can hurt staff and other residents in a nursing home. However, the opposite is also true: caregivers are more likely to apply physical force when dealing with aggressive and combative residents during their combative episodes. These residents are also vulnerable to retaliation from other residents and their caregivers.

If any of these risk factors apply to your loved one or friend, it becomes even more critical for you to be more discerning of the nursing home they are entering.

If you are in a position to weigh in on which facility they will enter, do so with extreme care and recommend nursing homes with clean records.

Types of Abuse in a Nursing Home

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC identifies five types of abuse in nursing homes:

1. Physical abuse – Intentional use of physical force to hurt older people, like slapping, hitting, punching, pinching, kicking, burning, etc.
2. Sexual abuse – Forced or unwanted sexual interaction of any kind with a vulnerable elderly.
3. Emotional/Psychological abuse – Verbal or non-verbal attacks that cause the elderly distress, mental and emotional anguish, fear, humiliation, etc.
4. Neglect – Wilful and accidental negligence and failure to provide adequate care for the elderly.
5. Financial abuse/exploitation – Unauthorized use of the elderly’s credit cards and checking accounts, mismanagement of their finances, selling their valuables without their permission, and unnecessarily billing them for undelivered services in the nursing home.

Victims of elder abuse in nursing homes may experience long-term physical, mental, and emotional trauma. But, because their caregivers are the ones inflicting abuse, victims are often afraid to report their experience to the administration or their family members for fear that the caregiver might retaliate in private.

As such, family members need to be observant and watch out for red flags that their elderly loved ones are experiencing any kind of abuse in their nursing home.

Red Flags Signaling Potential Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes

The following are common signs that someone you know may be experiencing abuse:

• Frequent injuries like broken bones or fractures
• Bruising or welts in areas commonly hidden by sleeves or pant legs
• Absurd explanations for injuries
• Bed sores
• Dry skin and other signs of dehydration
• Sudden change in the elderly’s attitude or behavior (from sociable and joyful to quiet and withdrawn)
• Sudden preference for clothing that covers their entire body
• Poor physical appearance and visible lack of care
• Unexplained weight loss
• Uncharacteristic mood swings
• Displaying fear or unreasonable subservience toward their caregiver
• Sudden refusal to meet family members and guests

Besides observing your loved ones for physical and behavioral signs of abuse, pay attention to the caregivers and the facility. If anything at all raises your suspicion, consider filing a complaint so that an investigation can occur. If worse comes to worst, try to move your loved one out of the nursing home.

Protect Your Loved Ones by Calling Lawyers for Nursing Home Abuse

Abuse of elderly in nursing homes can have severe repercussions for nursing home institutions. However, punishments and legal remedies can only take place if abuse is reported and the accused is found liable.

Call an attorney if you suspect that a loved one is experiencing abuse. It is better to be proven wrong than to ignore the signs and possibly leave your loved one in an abusive situation. And if you do discover credible signs of abuse, call lawyers for nursing home abuse immediately.

Having an elder abuse lawyer with experience in nursing home abuse will increase your chances of receiving full compensation for the physical, emotional and mental suffering your loved one went through.

Contact Holm Law Group for legal advice regarding elder abuse in nursing homes.