Recent studies are showing that the abuse prevalence in nursing homes is dramatically more than many thought.  In a frightening revelation, it was found that 1 out of every 3 senior citizens has been abused in one form or another.

The study found:

…prepared by the minority (Democratic and Independent) staff of the Special Investigations Division of the House Government Reform Committee, finds that 30 percent of nursing homes in the United States — 5,283 facilities — were cited for almost 9,000 instances of abuse over a recent two-year period, from January 1999 to January 2001.

(Source)

Just one case is bad, but the sheer amounts of cases is on another level.  It’s freighting to think that a loved one may fall victim to those who were tasked to taking care of them.

The study comes on the heels of the government’s intended health care reform.  As part of the package, the government is looking into all avenues of care and looking into ways that things may potentially be improved upon.  However, the studies findings may lead to more work than they had anticipated.

There is a projected large influx of patients for the healthcare system.  They will be coming into it based on many factors, and with this new influx comes the increased need for more care and more care options.

Protecting patients is of high importance, and with so many cases it seems to be a larger need than anyone had thought.

Tags: elderly, elderly independence, elderly volunteering, Health care, Health Care Reform, Politics, quality of life, senior citizens

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