Nursing home abuse reports rising

New Mexico residents may be concerned with the health and welfare of their elderly relatives, especially if they are being cared for in nursing homes. Reports of nursing home neglect/abuse have been publicized in many media reports. One Connecticut study indicates that elder abuse incidents in the state rose significantly between 2011 and 2017. While there were 11,123 reported elder abuse cases in 2017, there were only 3,529 in 2011. Of those, the state opened an investigation into 7,196 reports.

In addition, elder abuse reports linked to nursing homes and care facilities rose by around 15% between 2015 and 2017 alone. At the same time, there were also a number of reports indicating an attempt to seek help for lone elderly people who were not receiving any care in their homes. However, most incidents dealt with reports of different types of abuse by others, including nursing home neglect, physical or sexual abuse, financial exploitation or emotional abuse. Officials noted that they feared that many cases of significant neglect or abuse are never reported at all, particularly when elders are alone.

They also said that there is an increasing awareness of the dangers of elder abuse, leading more people to report problem signs. Some nursing homes complete few background checks on their staff members, and homes with higher staff/patient ratios are particularly dangerous.

Direct physical, sexual or emotional abuse may be more visible, but nursing home neglect can be extremely damaging as well. Many seniors develop severe injuries as a result of poor care in a facility. A family with an elderly loved one who has been abused or hurt in a nursing home can speak with an attorney about their options to pursue compensation.