There is no excuse for abuse and neglect in a nursing home. However, many factors can come into play regarding increasing the risk of nursing home abuse and neglect.
The most common factors include:
Staffing shortages
Lack of staff training and experience, such as staff who do not have the required educational or vocational training or who do not understand policies specific to the nursing home, lack of understanding of resident rights, and inadequate training for specific resident conditions and illnesses
Underpaid staff
Poor supervision, management, and accountability
Individual caregiver issues such as burnout and stress, personal issues at home such as divorce or financial troubles, poor personal health and illness, mental illness, or a personal history of being abused
Individual resident risk factors such as cognitive illnesses, physical disabilities, mental illness, having additional needs
Lack of consequences for those committing the abuse and neglect
Understanding why residents in nursing homes are abused or neglected can help nursing homes take steps to reduce the occurrence of this treatment.