Nursing Home Abuse Statistics

Nursing home abuse is a widespread problem in the United States, and statistics from 2010 found that cases of nursing home abuse reached an all-time high. It was also the year in which the U.S. had its highest number of senior citizens: those aged 65 and older made up about 13% of the country’s total population (about 40 million people), and an estimated 2.3 million of these citizens were victims of abuse in nursing homes. If your loved one has been abused in a nursing home, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

The American Association of Justice releases annual statistics on nursing home abuse in the United States. According to the report titled “Nursing Home by the Numbers:”

• An estimated 13 of every 14 nursing home abuse cases is not reported to the proper authorities;
• Over 90% of nursing homes are not adequately staffed to care for residents;
• An estimated 1.4 million people currently live in U.S. nursing homes.

According to a report from The Office of Long-Term Care in Illinois, the most common forms of abuse in nursing homes were:

• Physical abuse;
• Mental abuse;
• Verbal abuse;
• Misappropriation of property;
• Neglect.

In 2009 alone, nearly 100 nursing homes in Illinois operated under a “conditional license” due to complaints of abuse, though only three had their licenses denied or revoked due to abuse or inadequate care. Here were the nursing home abuse complaints handled by the Central Complaint Registry (CCR) in Illinois in 2009:

• Total calls: 20,991
• Abuse and neglect: 3,506
• Neglect: 1,837
• Other resident injuries: 975
• Mental abuse: 359
• Physical abuse: 185
• Sexual abuse: 82
• Physical assault: 60
• Verbal abuse: 47

An estimated 2 – 28% of all current nursing home residents are suffering from bed sores, which can range in severity and result in serious infections, blood loss, or even death if not treated properly. According to statistics from the National Nursing Home Survey (provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), the following percentages of patients did not receive adequate treatment for their bed sores:

• Patients with Level 1 bed sores: 65% untreated
• Patients with Level 2 bed sores: 67% untreated
• Patients with Level 3 bed sores: 63% untreated
• Patients with Level 4 bed sores: 60% untreated

The targeting of physically- or mentally-disabled residents is also a serious problem in nursing homes: it’s estimated that over 55% of male residents with disabilities have been physically abused in nursing homes, and female residents with disabilities are 33% more likely to be victims of abuse than female residents without disabilities.

Nursing homes are a $75 billion-per-year industry in the United States, and unfortunately the profit-motive compels many of these facilities to cut costs by any means necessary, which leads to serious problems like understaffing, inadequate employee training, and abuse of residents. Any resident of a nursing home who has been abused deserves full compensation for all injuries and losses, including medical expenses and pain and suffering, and our experienced personal injury attorneys will fight for you to the very end and see that justice is served.

If your loved one has been a victim of abuse or neglect in a nursing home, contact 844 See Mike for a free consultation. We are a personal injury law firm representing individuals (and their families) who have suffered an injury. We will handle your case quickly and advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you.

Lastly, 844 See Mike is not paid attorneys’ fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple. You have nothing to risk when you hire us – only the opportunity to seek justice.