A report from the Long Term Care Community Coalition has found that residents who are neglected are often silent in the face of abuse. The report, which detailed the results of a survey that examined 100 complaints from U.S. nursing homes, shared many of the systemic issues in American nursing homes, including issues with staff compensation and burnout. Among these issues, they found that residents often did not report abuse suffered in nursing homes. This could be a major barrier to identifying and rectifying issues in nursing homes across the United States, including in California.
Why are residents hesitant to report abuse?
Fear of retaliation is at the center of this hesitancy, according to the study. Residents say they depend on the staff for everything, from taking a shower to using the toilet, so getting on their bad side is a concern. These power dynamics can be dangerous, especially when the person being neglectful is at risk of becoming aggressive or worse treatment.
What can be done to prevent abuse?
If residents are not necessarily eager to share when they have been mistreated, how can loved ones or society at large identify and prevent neglect in a nursing home? Experts say that being proactive is key. Examining nursing home conditions, especially as it relates to staff training and burnout, can help to prevent incidents.
Sadly, adequate proactive approaches are not in place at all nursing homes, and even in well-regulated places, neglect is still possible. Individuals who have been harmed by nursing home neglect and their loved ones can reach out to a California attorney to find out about legal options in response to maltreatment.