It is hard to believe that anyone could be so cruel as to abuse a sick or elderly person in a nursing home, but it does happen. Research shows that about one out of every ten U.S. adults over age 60 have experienced elder abuse. Nursing home abuse, as well as nursing home neglect, is tragically common in the United States. Many nursing home residents suffer from mental and physical illnesses that make it difficult to express when they are being mistreated or abused. Some residents may even keep abuse a secret because they are afraid that they will be retaliated against for reporting the abuse. If you have a loved one in a nursing home or other long-term care facility, be vigilant for signs that they are being abused.

Physical Signs of Abuse

Sometimes, telling the difference between an injury caused by accident and an injury caused by a nursing home staff member can be difficult. Signs of physical abuse can include bruises, cuts, scrapes, pressure marks, broken bones, dislocations, burns, and more. When nursing home staff cannot explain why a resident has an injury such as these, this is a red flag that something is not right.

Tragically, nursing home residents can also suffer from sexual abuse. An individual who has been sexually abused by have problems walking or sitting, develop a sexually transmitted infection, have bruising on the genitals or thighs, urinary tract infections, and pain. Recently, a horrific incidence of nursing home sexual abuse made headlines after a woman in a vegetative state gave birth to a child.  A nurse working at the facility has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting the woman and causing her to become pregnant.

Placing a loved one in a nursing home or assisted living facility can be an incredibly difficult thing to do. Most people make this decision because they do not have the ability to provide the round-the-clock care that their loved one requires – especially if they have a career or family of their own to care for. We trust that nursing home staff will provide competent medical care and treat our loved ones with dignity and respect, but tragically, this does not always happen. If you have a loved one in a nursing home, make sure you are vigilant for signs of neglect and abuse.

Staffing Issues Can Lead to Neglect

Many nursing homes are understaffed. Others have high staff turnover which means that staff often do not have time to form personal relationships with residents. Inadequate training can also be a major problem which leads to poor care in a nursing home. When staff are not properly trained or are overworked, they can make serious mistakes which endanger residents. Nursing home residents with compromised immune systems, ongoing medical issues, and elderly residents are most at risk of dying from neglect.

Signs That Your Loved One is Not Being Properly Cared For

Often, nursing home residents suffer from cognitive decline in addition to physical conditions. Residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease may not be able to understand or remember that they are being mistreated. In situations like this, it is up to the loved ones to look for red flags that something is not right. Signs that your loved one may be neglected in a nursing home include:

The House Veterans Affairs Committee has begun an intensive investigation into the quality of care at 133 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) nursing homes after it was revealed that the VA itself ranks most of its facilities as seriously lacking. The agency’s internal rankings of its nursing homes had been kept secret for years, but they are now available for the public to view. The data is grim. Almost half of all VA nursing homes have been assigned the lowest possible score with regards to cleanliness, safety, and quality of patient care.

VA Facilities at Greater Risk for Pain and Medical Complications

Tragically, studies show that care for American war veterans is shockingly insufficient. An investigation headed by USA Today and The Boston Globe found that 60 VA nursing homes were given a score of one star out of five. In over two-thirds of VA nursing homes, patients were found to have higher rates of pain and a higher incidence of bedsores than nursing homes in the private sector. Residents in VA nursing homes show a greater decline in their quality of life than nursing home residents in private facilities.

Illinois nursing homes did not fare particularly well on quality-of-care rankings. The facility in Danville, IL, scored one out of five stars in part due to a resident who had a catheter left in their bladder. The lowest possible score for nursing home quality is one star. Other two-star nursing home facilities had high rates of bedsores and residents slipping and falling. The best-rated home in Illinois was in North Chicago and earned three stars out of five.

As the Baby Boomer generation ages, more and more individuals are seeking the 24/7 care that nursing homes offer. One study suggests that over half of the current U.S population will need to stay in a nursing home, at least temporarily, at one point in their lives or another. Unfortunately, some nursing homes are not able to manage the increasing number of residents. Understaffed nursing homes or staff who are not properly trained can leave residents without the help and resources they need. When left unchecked, nursing home neglect and abuse can be deadly.

Nursing Home Abuse and Mistreatment Shockingly Common

The most vulnerable among us deserve to be cared for and respected by nursing home staff. Sadly, many nursing home residents find themselves in facilities that do not make residents’ needs the staff’s top priority. Some nursing home staff even purposely harm the residents. A congressional report found that almost a third of all U.S nursing homes were guilty of safety and regulatory violations which put residents at increased risk of harm. Surveys show that almost half of nursing home residents have reported being mistreated at some point in their stay. Even more concerning, an astounding 95 percent of nursing home residents claim to have personally witnessed staff neglecting other residents.

Warning Signs of Abuse and Neglect

One of the most tragic realities about nursing home abuse and neglect is that many residents are unable to communicate what is happening to them. Residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease can be especially vulnerable to mistreatment. If you have a loved one in a nursing home, be on the lookout for signs of neglect or abuse such as: