Nursing home abuse can take many forms, from physical abuse and sexual abuse to emotional abuse and financial exploitation. Often the victims are unable to defend themselves or report the abuse.
Does your loved one reside in a nursing home? If so, it is important to be aware of the signs of nursing home abuse and to take action if you suspect that your loved one is being abused.
The Jefferson County personal injury attorneys at Nursing Home Laws Center, are legal advocates for injured nursing home residents. Our law firm gets results through comprehensive civil tort law to hold those responsible for your loved one’s injuries financially and legally accountable.
Contact a Colorado nursing home abuse attorney at (800) 926-7565 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form today for immediate legal advice and schedule a free consultation. All confidential or sensitive information you share with our legal team remains private through an attorney-client relationship.
No one wants to think about their elderly loved ones being abused while in a nursing home, but the sad reality is that it does happen. Nursing home abuse is a serious problem that affects many older adults each year.
Unfortunately, nursing home abuse victims often feel scared or embarrassed to speak up. It’s important to be aware of the signs of abuse and know what to do if you suspect something is wrong.
Abuse can take many forms, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. It can also include negligence, which can be just as harmful as any other type of abuse. If you believe your loved one is being abused or neglected in a nursing home, don’t hesitate to speak up and get help.
Legal resources are available to help protect your loved one, and legal advice is to hold the abuser accountable.
According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, there were more than 1,000 nursing homes nationwide with substantiated claims of abuse or neglect in 2019.
This number includes both physical and mental abuses as well as neglect cases where residents receive inadequate care because they don’t receive necessary medical treatment or assistance with daily living activities like bathing, dressing, and eating.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) collects data on reported cases of elder abuse each year to provide insight into the issue. Because instances of nursing home abuse and neglect often go unreported, these statistics likely represent only a small fraction of the problem.
Based on data collected by CDPHE in 2018, reported abuse and neglect cases in nursing homes fell slightly from 2020. Even so, there were more than 1,600 cases statewide the previous year, and 2,939 total reports received since 2018.
The most common types of abuse in these reports included:
In Colorado, the vast majority of reported elder abuse victims were female. In fact, from 2016 to 2018, six out of every seven victims were women. The average age of victims in Colorado during this time frame was 85.5 years old.
Senior citizens in America are society’s most vulnerable population relying on the help of others to maintain their wellbeing. Often, families must deal with the complicated decisions to place a loved one in a nursing facility to ensure they receive the best care to maximize their quality of life.
Specific statistics about the nursing home industry include:
While the elderly population in the United States is growing, government spending on nursing homes has remained relatively flat over the last decade.
When a family is considering a nursing facility for senior citizens, the best way to protect seniors from abuse and neglect is through proper research beforehand. The Nursing Home Compare site offers detailed information about specific facilities so consumers can see all of the latest safety violations and complaints made against a particular facility.
In addition, families should implement an organizational system that tracks nursing home visits and medication distribution so that they can identify any status changes immediately.
Per the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, for every one reported case of elder abuse or neglect, there are 24 other cases that go unreported because victims fear retaliation from their caregivers. The Colorado Department on Aging recommends contacting local law enforcement immediately, as well as the state’s Adult Protective Services unit.
According to the CDC, 1 in 25 people over the age of 50 suffer from depression. This rate is higher than any other age group.
Unfortunately, only one out of every three individuals who are depressed seeks treatment for their condition. Meanwhile, more than half of elderly citizens diagnosed with mental health problems do not receive the care they need.
In recent years, the National Institute of Aging researchers found that these statistics are even higher in nursing homes where more than half of all residents suffer from symptoms of depression and other mental disorders.
Aging individuals with mental health conditions are at increased risk for the quality of their care in a nursing facility. Many health conditions can lead to depression, but even those without chronic diseases are at risk.
The National Institute on Aging reports that as many as half of all adults age 65 and older with depression don’t receive treatment.
Today’s nursing facilities are responsible for providing a safe environment for patients and being proactive when identifying and treating mental health issues.
The most common mental health conditions that affect the elderly include dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. These can be challenging to treat in a nursing facility because of their highly sensitive nature.
According to a National Institute of mental health study, people over the age of 50 are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression than younger individuals. Because mental disorders often go untreated in nursing homes, this creates an environment where abuse can flourish.
The cases of mental health issues involving dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in nursing homes have risen significantly since 2015. The number of patients suffering from some form of dementia has tripled over the past three decades as life expectancy has increased.
In 2016, almost half of all nursing home residents had Alzheimer’s Disease or a related mental health disorder. This statistic represents a decline from previous years because more people receive treatment for this condition in their own homes.
Even so, there was a dramatic increase in the number of nursing home residents with dementia from 2015 to 2021. During this timeframe, the number of Alzheimer’s patients jumped from 19 percent to 42 percent, even though more people were receiving treatment before entering a care facility.
The Department of Elder Affairs (DEA) was created to address this problem through inspections and investigations of all nursing homes in the state. However, a random review of the DEA’s monitoring files revealed that more than half of all complaints about abuse and neglect never resulted in an investigation.
In Colorado, most reports of elder abuse involve neglect from family members or caregivers rather than employees at a nursing facility. Nearly 90 percent of cases in Colorado during the 2016 to 2018 timeframe involved caregivers, friends, or family members.
Even healthy older adults entering a nursing home to receive treatment for chronic conditions can experience considerable declines in their quality of life.
Approximately 90% of all nursing homes accept patients with long-term care needs. However, as many as one-third of these facilities have been cited for cases of understaffing, which results in overworked staff members and a lack of attention from the medical team.
As a result, general health issues go untreated and can lead to further physical and mental deterioration for patients.
In a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, researchers found that nearly two-thirds of nursing home residents die within six months of moving into a facility. Almost half of these individuals died from pneumonia or other infection.
While this rate is alarming, it represents only a small percentage of the actual death toll for nursing home patients.
According to the study, less than half of all residents received a flu shot before moving into a facility, making them prime targets for deadly diseases that spread rapidly throughout these communities.
Senior citizens are at an increased risk for accidental drug overdose due to impaired judgment, impaired mobility, and limited independent living skills.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that over half of all nursing home residents take at least five medications each day for various health-related issues bringing them at high risk for serious side effects.
The FDA reports that in 2008, more than 300,000 patients died from drug-related injuries, which makes medication errors the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States.
Bedsores are a serious problem that affects people of all ages, but many don’t know what they are.
Bedsores happen when pressure is applied to the skin for an extended period of time and forms ulcers. The two most common bedsores in nursing homes are decubitus ulcers and pressure sores.
Decubitus ulcers happen when someone spends too much time in one position, putting pressure on the skin, eventually leading to an open sore or wound.
Pressure sores occur after someone stays in one place for too long, which causes their weight to be distributed unevenly over the body with increased pressure on certain points such as hips, knees, ankles, and shoulders.