What Is Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse is any form of preventable harm suffered by residents of long-term care facilities or other similar institutions.
Families rely on nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to provide expert care for aging relatives or those with significant health issues. Women, in particular, are more likely to rely on nursing homes and similar facilities than men.
More than 7 in 10 nursing home residents are women, according to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. Women also typically tend to have more long-term care needs than men.
The expectation is that nursing homes will keep residents healthy and happy, but there is a dark side to the industry. Many nursing homes across the country fail to keep their residents safe, leading to horrific instances of outright abuse and unconscionable neglect — changing the lives of victims and their families forever.
Her Case Matters is here to help families stand up for women harmed by nursing home abuse and neglect. Get a free case review now to find the support you deserve.
Types of Nursing Home Abuse
There are many types of nursing home abuse, ranging from physical assault, sexual battery, emotional mistreatment, neglect, and financial exploitation. All of them could have devastating consequences for women.
It’s possible for women to suffer from multiple types of abuse at once.
Learn about the types of nursing home abuse, common signs of each, and what you can do to keep a woman that you love safe.
Physical Nursing Home Abuse
Physical nursing home abuse involves any type of assault that results in an injury or pain. All nursing home residents should expect to live without worrying about suffering physical injuries — yet even this basic standard is violated by poor-quality facilities each year.
Common examples of physical nursing home abuse include:
- Choking
- Hitting
- Kicking
- Pushing
- Shoving
- Slapping
- Tripping
- Using restraints improperly
Women could suffer assault and battery at the hands of staff members hired to keep them safe, as well as fellow residents and even strangers.
A 90-year-old Orlando woman was attacked in a nursing home after a stranger broke in, with a former employee citing lax security as a partial cause. The stranger attempted to choke the woman, leaving her with bruises, but she was expected to make a full recovery.
Sexual Nursing Home Abuse and Assault
It can be unthinkable, but the sad reality is that nursing home residents, particularly women, are in danger of suffering sexual abuse and assault. Perpetrators include bad actors hired by the facility as well as fellow residents.
Examples of sexual nursing home abuse include:
- Distributing or recording videos or images of residents who are not fully clothed
- Forced exposure to pornography
- Non-consensual sexually charged comments
- Rape or other sexual assaults
- Unwanted touching of genital areas
The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care notes that women who have a cognitive impairment like dementia are more likely to experience sexual abuse.
In 2026, California news outlets reported on a woman sexually assaulted in a nursing home by a volunteer. The woman had dementia, and the incident was captured on film by cameras installed in her room by her family. A criminal case was opened as a result.
Nursing Home Neglect
Many nursing home residents cannot care for themselves, which is why they decide to move to long-term care facilities in the first place. Yet when nursing home staff fail to provide proper care, it can lead to long-term health issues or injuries.
While neglect may not always be intentional like physical abuse or sexual assault, it can be just as devastating to nursing home residents — and it is never acceptable.
Examples of nursing home neglect include:
- Cluttered rooms or halls, increasing fall risk
- Delayed calls to 911 in an emergency
- Failure to regularly clean and bathe residents
- Improper treatment of injuries or illnesses
- Malnutrition and dehydration
- New or worsening bed sores
- Not responding to resident call lights promptly
- Not stepping in to stop resident-on-resident fights
A woman was found dead outside of a nursing home after wandering out into freezing temperatures and not being able to find her way back. The woman’s death was partly responsible for the facility’s closure and the relocation of its residents.
Call (877) 640-6101 if you or a woman you love suffered nursing home abuse. We’ll listen to what happened and guide you on the next steps you can take to keep a loved one safe.
Financial Nursing Home Abuse
Financial nursing home abuse occurs when a resident’s money is used without their permission, knowledge, or consent. It can be particularly devastating for women and families who have worked and saved all their lives, only to find huge sums siphoned off by grifters.
Financial nursing home abuse takes many forms, including:
- Forging checks
- Starting credit cards in the resident’s name
- Stealing valuables
- Transferring bank accounts or property
In 2025, a New York woman had her entire life savings wiped out after paying a nearly $1 million upfront fee to live in a nursing home that went bankrupt and closed.
The facility had promised her and other residents that most of the fee would be refunded or returned if they had to leave for any reason. However, the family now expects only to get a small fraction of the money promised.
Emotional Nursing Home Abuse
Sometimes, elder abuse doesn’t leave marks, but it can still be very damaging. Psychological or emotional abuse encompasses a wide range of issues that prevent residents from feeling safe in their environment.
Examples of emotional nursing home abuse include:
- Humiliation
- Intimidation
- Isolation from loved ones
- Threats
- Verbal abuse
Nursing home residents who are being emotionally abused may suffer from significant changes in their behavior. They may become anxious, depressed, or withdrawn, particularly when having to deal with staff members who are responsible for the abuse.
Common Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse and neglect can have many different signs depending on the issue your loved one is facing. As a result, it’s a good idea to understand some of the notable signs to keep a nursing home resident you love safe.
Warning signs of nursing home may include:
- Bedsores that don’t get better or worsen
- Changes in mood, behavior, or communication
- Dirty hair or clothing
- Fear around staff members
- Frequent wandering or elopement incidents
- New or untreated cuts, scrapes, bruises, or broken bones
- Poor hygiene or lack of personal hygiene care
- Serious infections that lead to complications like sepsis
- Sudden weight loss or malnutrition
- Strange changes in a loved one’s will or bank accounts
- Unexplained genital bruising or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
“Severe bedsores are one of the clearest signs of nursing home neglect. These wounds take time to form and are almost always preventable with routine care.”
– Ricky LeBlanc, nursing home abuse lawyer
If you notice any potential signs of nursing home abuse, don’t wait. Voice your concerns to staff, a long-term care ombudsman, or even law enforcement if things are serious. Addressing signs quickly can help you keep an older woman in your life safe from worsening abuse or neglect.
Why Women Are at Higher Risk of Nursing Home Abuse
The majority of elder abuse victims are women, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In fact, more than 6 out of 10 survivors of elder abuse are female, per The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
The higher rates of abuse and neglect among older women are partially because there are more women than men relying on long-term care. Generally speaking, women are more likely to live into old age, with nearly 70% of all 85-year-olds being women, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
Other factors increasing the risk of nursing home abuse among women include:
- Alzheimer’s and dementia
- Anxiety and depression
- Isolation from friends and family
- Physical disabilities that make them reliant on caregivers
The problems of elder and nursing home abuse, and how they affect women, aren’t going away. There will be approximately 52 million senior women by 2050, many of whom could be relying on others for care, putting them in danger of suffering abuse or neglect.
With all of that said, just because women may be at a higher risk of nursing home or elder abuse doesn’t make it acceptable in any way. The long-term impacts that abuse and neglect have can change the life of a woman and her family forever.
We’re here to walk with you and start the healing journey if nursing home abuse affected a woman that you love. Get a free case review now.
What Causes Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse often results from systemic problems within a facility. While some abuse is intentional, many cases stem from poor conditions and lack of oversight.
Common causes of abuse in nursing homes include:
- High staff turnover: Constant changes disrupt consistency and accountability.
- Inadequate resources: Limited supplies and funding can affect daily care.
- Lack of training: Untrained caregivers may mishandle residents or ignore warning signs.
- Poor supervision: Weak management allows abuse and neglect to go unnoticed.
- Staff burnout: Long hours and stress can reduce patience and attention.
- Understaffing: Too few staff members leads to rushed care and missed needs.
When facilities fail to address the issues above, nursing home residents face a higher risk of harm. Proper staffing, training, and oversight are essential for resident safety.
Many of these issues are all too common in for-profit nursing homes, where corporate leaders focus on maximizing profits ahead of actual safety. In these cases, greedy cost-cutting measures can put significant strain on the level of care residents receive, sometimes causing heartbreaking consequences like serious injuries and even wrongful death.
However, there is never a good excuse for residents to suffer abuse or neglect while living in long-term care facilities. You and your family have put your time, energy, and trust into your relationship with a nursing home. You expected that they would be there for your mother, grandmother, or sister — not for their actions or inactions to cause more harm.
Who Commits Abuse in Nursing Homes?
Nursing home abuse is often committed by people whom women and their families trusted to provide care. In many cases, the abuser is someone with regular access to residents.
Those who may commit nursing home abuse include:
- Administrators who ignore unsafe conditions
- Caregivers responsible for daily care
- Medical providers working in the facility
- Nursing home staff members
- Other residents
- Strangers or trespassers
- Volunteers who are not properly vetted
In one disturbing situation out of North Carolina, three staff members were accused of running a ‘fight club’ at a nursing home. Two female residents with dementia fought while the staff members looked on, and instead of intervening, they encouraged the violence and filmed it on their phones. All three were arrested.
Reporting Nursing Home Abuse
If you are concerned that a woman in your life is experiencing nursing home abuse or neglect, it’s crucial to speak up.
Reporting nursing home abuse to different authorities can help get your loved one to a safer place, hold those responsible accountable, and create lasting change.
You can report nursing home abuse and neglect to:
- Adult Protective Services (APS): They can investigate suspected abuse in care settings.
- Law enforcement: Contact police if there is immediate danger. Always call 911 in the event of a medical emergency or if immediate harm has occurred.
- Long-term care ombudsmen: They help protect residents’ rights in nursing homes and assisted living.
At Her Case Matters, we’re also here to listen to your situation and support you if a woman you love has been harmed by nursing home abuse or neglect. Call (877) 640-6101 now to speak with us.
Ways to Prevent Abuse in Nursing Homes
While there is no way to completely prevent nursing home abuse or neglect, there are steps you can take before and during a loved one’s stay in a long-term care facility to lower the risks.
To help prevent nursing home abuse, you can:
- Compare and contrast nursing homes in your area by looking at reviews, touring multiple facilities, and asking current residents and staff their thoughts. Notably, medicare.gov has a nursing home comparison platform that shows you ratings and safety levels for facilities in your area.
- Regularly visit a nursing home resident if possible. This can help you closely monitor their health and address any concerns or questions.
- Promptly remove your loved one from a facility if you’re concerned about a possible incident of abuse or neglect.
- Document any possible evidence of neglect or abuse by collecting documents, taking pictures, or requesting information from staff.
By staying proactive, you have a better chance of preventing nursing home abuse, as well as limiting the long-term harm that it could cause.
However, if a woman you love has suffered, it’s important not to blame yourself. Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities should have taken proper care of your loved one — not made things worse.
How a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Can Help
If nursing home abuse has impacted your family, you may want to consider working with an attorney. Your grandmother, mother, or other female relative should never have been hurt, and nursing home lawyers will work to recover accountability and compensation for your family.
Nursing home abuse lawyers:
- Assess what happened in your case
- Build legal claims against those responsible
- File civil nursing home abuse lawsuits on your behalf
- Work to recover the highest financial payouts possible
“We all share a duty to protect our most vulnerable citizens, and holding facilities accountable through legal action is one of the strongest ways to make real change.”
– Ricky LeBlanc, nursing home abuse lawyer
The best nursing home abuse lawyers have a national reach and work at well-regarded law firms with decades of experience handling similar cases.
These attorneys make filing a legal claim much easier for you by handling the steps of the process on your behalf, allowing you to focus on healing and getting your loved one care they deserve.
And, while there are no guarantees, some families have recovered $1 million or more by working with the nursing home abuse lawyers in our network.
Get a free case review now to find out if a nursing home abuse attorney may be able to help you and your family.
Helping Women and Families Harmed by Abuse in Nursing homes
Nursing home abuse can leave families feeling overwhelmed and unsure what to do next. Whether it was your mother, grandmother, or another relative, the women in your life never deserved to be put in danger.
Her Case Matters provides a safe space to share concerns and learn about options if nursing home abuse or neglect has caused harm.
Work with us to:
- Clearly understand what happened
- Determine your options
- Get the support you need to move forward
Call (877) 640-6101 or get a free case review to learn how we can assist you or a woman you love after abuse or neglect in a long-term care facility.
Nursing Home Abuse FAQs
Are there more men or women in nursing homes?
Women make up the majority of people living in nursing homes. In fact, more than 70% of all nursing home residents are women, according to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.
Older women rely on nursing homes to provide care when they can no longer care for themselves.
You never expected that a woman you love would suffer serious injuries, worsening illnesses, or even a wrongful death from living in a place designed to care for them. And it may have been preventable with proper care.
Do women suffer elder abuse at higher rates than men?
Yes, women suffer elder abuse at higher rates than men. Women, particularly those with mental impairments like dementia, are at especially high risk of nursing home abuse and neglect, per The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care.
If a woman you love has been harmed while living in a long-term care facility, we may be able to assist you. Call (877) 640-6101 now to learn about your options.
How common is abuse in nursing homes?
Nursing home abuse is more common than many people realize. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), up to 5 million Americans suffer elder abuse annually, with many victims being women in long-term care settings.
The true scope of the problem may even be higher, as many cases of nursing home abuse and neglect go unreported.
If you believe that a loved one is suffering from nursing home abuse or neglect, make sure to report it to authorities like Adult Protective Services, an ombudsman, or even law enforcement promptly. Swift action is key to protecting your loved one and making sure things don’t get worse.
Can nursing home abuse happen even in highly rated facilities?
Yes. Abuse and neglect can occur even in facilities with good ratings or reputations. Ratings often focus on paperwork and inspections, not the daily treatment of residents.
Understaffing, burnout, and poor supervision can still lead to harm. Families should remain involved regardless of a facility’s rating.
What should I do if my loved one is afraid to report abuse in nursing homes?
This is very common among nursing home residents. Fear of retaliation, isolation, or losing care often prevents reporting.
Family members can report concerns on a resident’s behalf and seek guidance from outside agencies. Protecting safety is more important than waiting for permission.
What are red flags in a nursing home?
Common nursing home red flags include unexplained injuries like bruises and scrapes, worsening health issues like dehydration, malnutrition, and bed sores, and emotional changes, such as seeing your loved one become more anxious, withdrawn, or fearful.
Any of these issues could mean that your loved one is not receiving the level of care they deserve — and, in a worst-case scenario, they could be suffering abuse or neglect.
Contact us now for help. We’ll listen to your story and determine the next steps that best suit your situation.
Written by: Her Case Matters
At HerCaseMatters, we believe women deserve to be heard — especially when it comes to their health and safety. Too often, harmful drugs, devices, and corporate wrongdoing impact women’s lives without proper warning, support, or accountability. We’re here to change that. We work with trusted legal partners who are deeply experienced in holding powerful companies accountable. But more than that, we’re here to remind women everywhere that their pain is real, their experiences matter, and they deserve justice.
- American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. (n.d.). Who Is Likely To Need Paid Long-Term Care. Retrieved from https://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-need/.
- American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists. (2021). Elder Abuse and Women’s Health. Retrieved from https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2021/03/elder-abuse-and-womens-health.
- CBS 17. (n.d.). NC assisted living facility workers accused of running fight club with dementia patients. Retrieved from https://www.cbs17.com/news/nc-assisted-living-facility-workers-accused-of-running-fight-club-with-dementia-patients/.
- CT Insider. (2026, March 18). Nurse on duty at CT nursing home when woman died after wandering has pending child sex assault case. Retrieved from https://www.ctinsider.com/journalinquirer/article/windsor-locks-nursing-home-death-nurse-arrest-22083304.php.
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