How Frequently Do Different Types of Abuse Occur in Nursing Homes?

Elder abuse has long been a problem facing residents across the United States. Over the past few years, signs have been showing that it’s only becoming a more pronounced issue, both in nursing homes and in personal residences.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers estimated that 1 in 10 older Americans were abused, but since lockdown, that number has doubled to 1 in 5. While some statistics indicate that the frequency has somewhat returned to pre-lockdown numbers, the fact remains that millions of older people will face some form of abuse, as per the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA).

Nursing home abuse takes many forms, and in some cases, an elder resident can be dealing with multiple types of abuse at the same time. No matter what type of abuse the victim is dealing with, it can have a serious impact on their physical, mental, and financial health that can severely diminish the quality of their later years. Knowing what signs of nursing home abuse to look out is an important step in catching and preventing abuse from perpetuating, and knowing which types of abuse are the most common can help you know what is the most important to keep an eye out for.

• Emotional Abuse: This type of abuse is especially common in nursing homes, with about 33% of nursing home staffers admitting to psychologically abusing residents, according to a study from the World Health Organization (WHO). The majority of victims of this type of abuse are women, who make up 67% of the victims.
• Financial Abuse: This type of abuse affects approximately 7% of older Americans and can take many forms. In some cases, it’s the theft of physical goods, and in others, it’s the exploitation of bank and savings accounts for personal gain. About half of all cases of financial abuse are carried out by people who personally know the victim, including members of their own family.
• Physical Abuse: This type of abuse is less common but exceptionally damaging to the health and safety of nursing home residents. The WHO reported that more than 9% of nursing home staffers admitted to physically abusing residents, and a study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that 29% of all reported cases were for physical abuse.
• Sexual Abuse: In the same NIH study, researchers found that approximately 7% of all elder abuse cases involved sexual assault, including physical contact and harassment.
• Neglect: Neglect can sometimes be tied to emotional abuse, making it somewhat difficult to track separately. However, the WHO reported that 12% of nursing home staff admitted to neglecting their residents, and 12% of residents stated that they suffered from neglect in the same study.

An unfortunate reality is that the vast majority of cases of elder abuse go unreported. According to the NCEA, for every case of abuse that’s reported, another 24 go unreported. This lack of reporting is tied to a number of factors, including fear of retaliation, shame and embarrassment, dependency on the person abusing the individual, and more. In some cases, the elder resident lacks the ability to report the abuse due to cognitive impairments like dementia or Alzheimer’s restricting their ability to inform others.

Staying connected and present in the lives of our elderly loved ones, especially those living out the end of their lives in an assisted care facility, is an important step in identifying and preventing abuse from causing lasting harm. Understanding the warning signs of elder abuse is key to knowing what kinds of questions to ask your loved one and what you should be looking out for when you visit them at their nursing home.