Why Does Abuse Still Exist Inside Nursing Homes?

Thesis Statement

When choosing a care home or nursing home, it is often an emotional time for many parties, and individuals have different reasons for favouring particular premises. In family circles, these elements may clash and cause problems in the decision making process. It is not unusual for the closest of families to argue strongly over which home would be the best.

Introduction

A local care home or nursing home might seem to be the right solution because of accessibility and easier visiting, but does that particular care home offer all the right facilities? It is worth investigating what other options there are available, residential sheltered housing for example might be a good option. You may come across the term 'residential homes' and 'nursing homes', today residential homes are often called 'care homes' and nursing homes are often called 'care homes with nursing'. A 'Dual Registered home' are the two combined.

Current Situation

The advent of the prospective payment system for Medicare in the acute care setting has had a profound impact on the acuity level of nursing home residents. Hospitals that discharge elderly patients "quicker and sicker" contribute to a burden largely felt by nursing homes, since nursing homes are looked upon to provide sub-acute or "step-down" care after hospital stays. Some residents require chronic high-tech care.(Frank, 125) The nursing home industry is lagging behind in providing the needed care, having trained staff, and in some cases, being reimbursed at a reasonable rate. Another factor is the nature of nursing home life itself. The average nursing home is a highly routinized and regimented environment where basic civil rights are often absent. The dominance of the medical model over the social model of care ensures that residents who regularly enjoy the flail benefits of their rights are not the norm. (Administration on Aging, 83)

In 2007, the top ten deficiencies in long-term-care facilities cited by Health Care Financing Administration surveyors were in the following areas: food sanitation, assessment, care planning, pressure sores, quality of care, restraints, housekeeping, dignity, and accident prevention (Harrington et al., pp 64-65). Many of these areas exhibited problems with a direct or indirect relationship to abuse and neglect. The 2006 Long Term Care Ombudsman Annual Report (2009) shows a similar picture. The top ten ombudsman complaints for 2006 are related to the following: call lights and other requests for assistance; accidents and improper handling; care plans and resident assessment; dignity, respect, and staff attitudes; personal hygiene; discharge and eviction; shortage of staff; menu quality; physical abuse; lost or stolen personal property. It is clear to see that the ombudsman is often called upon to address issues directly or indirectly related to abuse and neglect.

Although prevalence data are not available, some quantitative studies have shed light on the nature and scope of resident abuse in long-term-care facilities. Pillemer and Moore (2009) conducted the first random-sample survey of nursing home staff to specifically assess the incidence and correlates of abuse and concluded that abuse ...