Nursing Home Abuse Statistics
Today, there are nearly one and a half million residents in America’s nursing homes, and the statistics of nursing home abuse show us that this nationwide problem is getting worse. Since the 1980’s, the dark reality of nursing home abuse and neglect has been under the spotlight; however, studies have shown that in spite of our awareness of the problem, nursing home abuse has continued and even gotten worse.
Several studies have estimated that approximately 30% of America’s nursing homes have had cases of elder abuse. That means that nearly one out of every three nursing homes across the nation has been a setting for nursing home abuse.
A Congressional report released by the Special Investigations Division of the House Government Reform Committee stated that between 1999 and 2001, 9,000 occurrences of nursing home abuse were cited nationwide. Based on the findings of that two year study, one could estimate that 4,500 cases of nursing home abuse are reported every year. The Congressional findings also stated that since 1996, the statistics of nursing home abuse have gotten worse every year. When you take into consideration that effects of such abuse can lead to health problems, emotional damage, physical injuries, and even death, perhaps what is most frightening is the fact that most cases of nursing home abuse are never reported.