A congressional committee released a report revealing that one-in-three nursing homes in the United States have been cited for abuse of residents.

Nursing home abuse was reported in a whopping 9,000 instances over two years, according to the report issued by the staff of the Special Investigations Division of the House Government Reform Committee. Citations were issued to 5,283 facilities during that period.

Nursing home abuse reported by Congress includes:

• Untreated bedsores
• Inadequate medical care
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Preventable accidents
• Inadequate sanitation and hygiene

According to the report, a total of 1,601 cases of nursing home abuse were so severe that they caused actual harm to residents or to place the residents in immediate jeopardy of death or serious injury. States conduct annual inspections of nursing homes and are required to investigate complaints. The congressional report was derived from state inspections.

The report was compiled by the staff for Democrats and Independents on the congressional committee. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-California, directed staff to compile the report and says that the findings are “shocking.” The California congressman says that he will introduce a bill to improve nursing home care.

There are many different types of elder abuse included in the report, some that many may not realize are a concern. Nursing homes were cited for physical and sexual abuses, and instances of abuse appear to be increasing, according to the report. Some of the cases described in the report include nursing home staff physically and/or sexually abusing residents.

In addition to the psychological damage, some residents suffered fractures, lacerations and other severe physical injuries at the hands of those who are supposed to care for them.

It’s not just abuse that can cause our elders serious harm — nursing home neglect is also a serious issue.

Nursing home abuses & money

Across the United States, approximately 1.6 million people live in a nursing home in 17,000 facilities. Through Medicaid, the U.S. government is the largest contributor to residential care facilities.

Government regulations include protections for nursing home residents, but facilities cite lack of funds as a reason behind poor care and nursing home abuse. Facilities contend that they have a hard time attracting and retaining quality, caring staff due to lack of funds. Lack of skilled workers entering into the field has also been noted by industry representatives.

Congressman Waxman agrees with the facilities, noting “unless we are willing to pay nursing homes enough to do their job, intolerable incidents of abuse and other types of mistreatment will continue to persist.” 

The bill proposed by the congressman will increase funding, as well as set minimum staff sizes. He also wants to improve disclosure of nursing home abuse through an Internet system. Finally, new fines will be leveled against nursing homes cited for abuse.

Those in the nursing home industry responded to the report, arguing that most nursing homes meet and exceed standards and many of the citations noted in the report are actually for minor events.

However, according to the report, the cases were examined in detail and revealed instances of severe abuse. Additionally, the report notes that more than half of the nursing homes in a congressional district in Pennsylvania were cited for nursing home abuse that caused actual harm to residents.

If you or a loved one has experienced nursing home abuse, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Get help today!

In general, nursing home lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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