7 Types of Abuse in Nursing Homes
Nursing home residents deserve to live with dignity and respect. However, different types of nursing home abuse can cause long-term harm and even permanent complications.
While physical abuse is often easier to recognize, many residents experience other types of nursing home abuse. Some types may go unnoticed for months or even years. Understanding the different types of abuse in nursing homes will help you advocate for yourself and your loved ones.
The 7 types of nursing home abuse are:
- Physical abuse
- Resident neglect
- Sexual abuse
- Elder abandonment
- Self-neglect
- Emotional abuse
- Financial abuse
While some types of nursing home abuse leave visible injuries, others may affect a resident’s emotional well-being, financial security, or overall quality of life. If you or a loved one has suffered this kind of abuse, we may be able to help.
Reach out now to speak with our compassionate team about your concerns and next steps.
Physical Nursing Home Abuse
Physical abuse in nursing homes can happen at the hands of staff members, other residents, or visitors. It’s intentional and may not always cause injuries.
Examples of physical nursing home abuse include:
- Being improperly restrained
- Hitting
- Kicking
- Pinching
- Punching
- Shoving
- Slapping
The Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect found that 24.3% of nursing home residents reported experiencing at least one kind of physical abuse from a staff member. That number may be higher, given how many residents fear retaliation for making a report.
Unexplained injuries or medical sexual abuse, including inappropriate physical exams, could warrant further investigation. Filing an anonymous report with your state’s elder abuse authorities and seeking safer care arrangements could be the next best step.
Resident Neglect
Nursing home neglect affects a resident’s physical and mental health. Neglect can sometimes occur in plain sight, but it can be just as harmful as other types of abuse that residents may face.
Older adults may experience these types of nursing home neglect:
- Bedsores (pressure ulcers)
- Dehydration
- Delayed medical care
- Failure to prevent falls
- Ignored complaints
- Inadequate supervision
- Infections
- Lack of mobility assistance
- Malnutrition
- Medication errors
- Missed medications
- Poor personal hygiene
- Unreported illnesses or injuries
- Weight loss
Unsafe or unsanitary living conditions can cause prolonged suffering. If you or a loved one has been neglected, we may be able to help you file a nursing home abuse lawsuit.
Call our team at (877) 640-6101 to talk about your experience. If eligible, we’ll connect you with our nursing home abuse lawyers to pursue compensation and justice.
Sexual Abuse
Nursing home sexual abuse includes any non-consensual forms of sexual behavior or contact with a resident. Staff members or other residents may sexually assault an older person repeatedly, especially if they’re part of a vulnerable population who can’t advocate for themselves.
Elder sexual abuse includes these acts:
- Coercion (manipulation into sexual acts)
- Indecent exposure
- Rape
- Sexual assault
- Sexual exploitation
- Unwanted touching
Family members should learn the signs of sexual abuse so they know what to watch for. Victims may develop unexplained injuries, sexually transmitted diseases, sudden behavioral changes, or a fear of certain caregivers or residents.
If you’re worried that a loved one has suffered any type of nursing home abuse, we may be able to help. Our team is standing by to listen to your concerns and provide support.
Get your free case review now.
Elder Abandonment
Elder abandonment is a nursing home abuse type that happens when nursing facility caregivers or employees leave older residents in public places, hospitals, or other facilities. They may not have the physical and mental capabilities to get help, which can cause injuries or death.
Nursing homes can legally discharge residents for reasons including an inability to support the resident’s medical needs. However, some staff members may abandon residents in places like homeless shelters rather than calling their families before discharge.
Self-Neglect
Self-neglect differs from other types of nursing home abuse because it does not involve another person intentionally causing harm. Instead, this happens when someone is unable or unwilling to care for themselves, and no one intervenes.
Here are some common signs of self-neglect in nursing homes:
- Dirty living conditions
- Medication refusal
- Poor hygiene
- Refusing to eat or drink
- Self-harm behaviors
Nursing home staff should recognize signs of self-neglect and assist residents as needed. If they fail to monitor care conditions and manage self-neglect, residents are at a higher risk of getting injured or living with an undiagnosed condition that causes their neglect, like memory loss.
Nursing home abuse lawsuits could potentially help families seek justice and compensation if staff failed to properly prevent self-neglect.
Contact us now to see if you can take action. Our legal partners have helped people recover $10.5 Billion to date after experiencing injustice like nursing home abuse.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional nursing home abuse is also known as psychological or verbal abuse. Staff members may use threats or manipulation to make residents feel unsafe.
Here are some examples of nursing home emotional abuse:
- Controlling a resident’s activities
- Guilt-tripping
- Isolating a resident from loved ones or center activities
- Mocking or insulting a long-term care resident
- Threatening a resident or their family members
- Yelling
According to the World Health Organization, 33.4% of nursing home residents or the people in charge of their welfare reported experiencing psychological abuse.
If someone suffers from this long-term, they may develop mental health conditions like depression or anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a decline in their physical well-being. No one deserves to live where they’re often afraid, humiliated, or belittled.
Financial Abuse and Exploitation
Financial abuse is a nursing home abuse type that causes long-term devastation. It happens when someone steals a resident’s money, improperly uses their financial accounts, or manipulates them to access their savings.
Monetary abuse or exploitation can cause significant distress and affect a resident’s health, especially if they can’t afford essentials like nursing home rent or medical care afterward.
People commit nursing home financial abuse by:
- Forging a resident’s signature
- Making unauthorized withdrawals
- Misusing a resident’s power of attorney to change their will
- Preventing them from accessing their bank accounts
- Stealing belongings
- Taking their credit card, debit card, or cash
Older adults living with cognitive impairments like dementia may be especially vulnerable because they depend on others to manage their affairs.
If you suspect that financial abuse or one of the other types of nursing home abuse is happening to you or your family member, you should act quickly. Filing legal reports can help to quickly resolve disputes or start settlement negotiations to replace lost financial assets, if possible.
Common Causes of Nursing Home Abuse Types
Many nursing home employees mean well, but issues like burnout, poor training, or inadequate support can lead to neglect or even outright abuse.
Causes of nursing home abuse include:
- Caregiver burnout
- Chronic understaffing
- Cost cutting
- High stress
- Inadequate training
- Lack of background screenings
- Minimal oversight
- Poor management
None of these factors excuse the mistreatment of vulnerable older adults. Nursing homes have a responsibility to maintain well-trained, fully staffed teams to meet each resident’s needs.
How Do You Report Types of Abuse in a Nursing Home?
The steps to report any type of nursing home abuse depend on the facility’s location. If it’s an emergency, call 911 immediately. Non-emergency situations must follow state laws.
You can report types of nursing home abuse by:
- Documenting any injuries, behavioral changes, or concerning conditions
- Speaking with nursing home administrators about your concerns
- Requesting copies of relevant records
- Filing a complaint with the appropriate state agency that handles elder care abuse
- Contacting your state’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman program for help advocating for your loved one, investigating abuse, or resolving complaints
- Making a report with your state’s Adult Protective Services program
Trust your instincts if something feels wrong. Filing a report will help clarify whether you’re seeing types of nursing home abuse and may give you peace of mind.
Many people worry about retaliation from nursing home employees if they make an official complaint. However, the Nursing Home Reform Law of 1987 gave residents the right to present grievances without fear of reprisal.
Settlements By Nursing Home Abuse Type
State reports can identify and stop nursing home abuse types, but they may not lead to compensation. A nursing home abuse lawsuit could help you or your family recover, especially if you’ve suffered from financial abuse.
A nursing home abuse attorney could negotiate an out-of-court settlement for your family. If the other party refuses to settle, you may receive nursing home abuse compensation by pursuing a verdict in court.
Previous nursing home abuse settlements and verdicts include:
- $160 million for physical abuse: Awarded to a Texas family whose loved one was severely beaten by another resident while living at a nursing home in 1997.
- $15 million for neglect: Paid by Mariner Health Care Inc. after understaffing at the facility’s California nursing homes caused resident mistreatment and neglect.
- $2.3 million for neglect: Awarded to a Florida family after their loved one died from a neglected bed sore that became infected while they lived in a nursing home.
- $2 million for poor care: Paid by American Health Companies to resolve allegations of billing for grossly substandard nursing home services between 2019 and 2024.
- $23 million for wrongful death: Upheld by Sacramento-based Judge Judy Holzer Hersher before she added another $4 million to the judgment. The money was awarded to a family after their loved one experienced elder abuse that led to wrongful death while she was in an assisted living facility.
- $26 million for wrongful death: Awarded to a family after the wrongful death of their loved one while he was living in an understaffed and mismanaged Ohio nursing home.
Compensation from nursing home abuse lawsuits helps people cover medical bills, relocation, funeral expenses, and other costs. If you think you may have a case, Her Case Matters can help you get clarity.
Filing Lawsuits for Types of Nursing Home Abuse
Recognizing the types of nursing home abuse could help you advocate for your loved ones. If they’ve been harmed, you may be able to seek accountability and financial relief.
A nursing home abuse lawsuit may be the next best step after you or a loved one experiences types of nursing home abuse or neglect. You’ll pursue justice and compensation, which may not be available through state reporting measures.
Here’s how you can file a nursing home abuse lawsuit:
- Get a free case review: Speak with our team about your experience, and we’ll connect you with a nursing home abuse lawyer if you qualify.
- Collect evidence: Your nursing home abuse attorney will gather evidence to strengthen your claim, which may include incident reports, medical records, and witness statements.
- File your nursing home abuse lawsuit: Your lawyer will file your nursing home lawsuit before your state’s legal filing deadline passes.
- Rest with loved ones: Take care of yourself and your family while your nursing home abuse lawyer negotiates a settlement out of court.
“You do not need to have proof before speaking with a nursing home neglect lawyer. If you’re concerned that something is wrong, that’s enough to start the conversation.”
— Ricky LeBlanc, nursing home neglect lawyer
Nursing home abuse types can be devastating for residents and their families. Her Case Matters is here to help, because you deserve answers and support.
Our partner law firm has recovered $332 million to date for families harmed by types of nursing home abuse.
Reach out now to learn your legal options.
Learn to Spot Types of Nursing Home Abuse
If you suspect that your loved one has experienced any types of nursing home abuse, neglect, or mistreatment, trust your gut. You don’t have to navigate the pain and uncertainty alone.
The Her Case Matters team believes every resident should get treated with dignity, safety, and respect. We’re here to help you find answers and take steps to protect your loved ones.
Get a free case review or call (877) 640-6101 to see if you’re eligible to start working with a nursing home abuse lawyer.
Nursing Home Abuse Types FAQs
What are common nursing home violations?
Common nursing home violations include neglect, unsafe environments, and poor medical care. These may happen due to understaffing or poorly trained employees.
If you reported any type of neglect, inadequate care, or even abuse to your state’s long-term care ombudsman and nothing happened, there may still be a way to pursue accountability.
Contact us today to learn about filing a nursing home abuse lawsuit.
What are the red flags of nursing home abuse types?
The red flags of nursing home abuse types are common, but easy to miss. Learning how people spot abuse could help you protect and advocate for your loved ones.
Here are some red flags of nursing home abuse:
- Bedsores (pressure ulcers)
- Dehydration
- Fear of nursing home staff
- Malnutrition
- Poor hygiene
- Unexplained injuries
If something feels wrong, you should raise your concerns quickly. Abuse and neglect may lead to wrongful death if it becomes a long-term issue.
Can you sue a nursing home for abuse?
Yes, you can sue a nursing home for abuse or neglect. If a facility fails to provide a minimum standard of care and doesn’t resolve concerns through internal reporting procedures, families can pursue civil litigation to seek accountability for their suffering.
States have different filing deadlines called statutes of limitations for pursuing nursing home abuse lawsuits. Some deadlines can be as little as 1 year, so you should act quickly if you may have a case.
Get your free case review now to explore your legal options today.
What are the 10 different types of abuse?
The 10 different types of abuse affect people of all ages. They can also happen anywhere, including in nursing homes.
These are the 10 different types of abuse:
- Abuse stemming from discrimination
- Domestic abuse or violence
- Emotional or psychological abuse
- Financial or material abuse
- Institutional or organizational abuse
- Modern slavery
- Neglect or failure to act
- Physical abuse
- Self-neglect
- Sexual abuse or assault
Many of these types of abuse can take place in nursing homes or long-term care facilities. If you think you’ve noticed your loved one suffering from similar abuse, report it to their facility coordinator or your state’s authorities right away.
What are 7 signs of emotional abuse?
Emotional abuse has many forms, but there are 7 signs you can watch for. Some people need months or years before recognizing them because they can be subtle at first.
The 7 signs of emotional abuse are:
- Degradation or humiliation
- Exploitation
- Extreme control
- Intimidation
- Isolation
- Verbal abuse or harassment
- Withholding affection or rejecting it
Emotional abuse can cause lasting harm and may escalate into other kinds of trauma, like physical abuse. Call our team at (877) 640-6101 if you think you’ve seen evidence of emotional abuse and want clarification on your potential next steps.
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.
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