One of the most vulnerable groups of Buffalo citizens resides in nursing homes. Placing a parent or grandparent in a nursing home is a very difficult decision, and we all want to make sure the elderly are well cared for when necessity requires they move into such a facility. While it is difficult to obtain hard data on the frequency of abuse or neglect of nursing home residents, the numbers that are available are sobering.
Studies have shown that some form of resident abuse occurs in more than 30% of all nursing homes in the United States. It is difficult, however, to come up with an exact figure for two reasons. The first is that nursing home abuse and neglect can cover a wide variety of issues ranging from failure to properly supervise medication or allowing bed sores to fester to actual physical or sexual abuse of the resident by staff or by other residents. As a result, it can be difficult in some cases to categorize what actions constitute abuse or neglect for purposes of measuring the extent of the problem.
The second is that most cases of nursing home abuse or neglect simply go unreported. Experts estimate that for every one case reported, five more go unreported. Of the cases that are reported, many are never actually brought to the attention of public authorities.
Approximately five percent of senior citizens in the United States reside in nursing homes, half of whom are over the age of 85. Many of these residents are extremely vulnerable to being abused or otherwise exploited. If you suspect a nursing home resident has suffered abuse or neglect, do not be afraid to report it.
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