More and more people are living beyond 65 years, and elder abuse in the US is on the rise.

The problem of elder abuse in nursing homes has been in the news in the State of Oregon. About 13 percent of the population is 65 years or older and nearly 76,000 Oregonians are age 85 or older. The Department of  Human Services (DHS) received 20,000 calls reporting alleged abuse of the elderly or physically disabled in 2010.

According to an article in an Oregon paper, the Register-Guard, from November 2009 through April 2011, Lane County Adult and Protective Services (APS) received 866 complaints about incidents of neglect or abuse in long-term care facilities under its jurisdiction.

Of these, less than half were substantiated by APS caseworkers and only one-quarter of those reviewed by the DHS during this 18-month period were upheld. Only 20 per cent, or 22, were eventually fined.

Even more troubling are the rapes and sexual assaults committed by nursing home employees and residents as described in the recent Oregonian article "An Oregon family's quest for justice for Ruth DeLong Black."

If you have a parent, spouse, other family member or friend in a long-term care facility, you may not be aware of these problems exist.

Warning signs

Awareness to the problem is an important starting point. If you visit any friends or family members in a long-term care facility, pay attention to conditions of the facility and the residents. The Oregon DHS list the following as potential warning signs of physical abuse:

• Cuts, lacerations, punctures, wounds.
• Bruises, welts, discolorations, grip marks.
• Any unexplained injury that does not fit with the given explanation of the injury.
• Any injury incompatible with the person's history of unexplained injuries.
• Any injury which has not been properly cared for (sometimes injuries are hidden on areas of the body normally covered by clothing).
• Poor skin condition or poor skin hygiene.
• Dehydration and/or malnourishment without illness-related cause.
• Unexplained loss of weight.
• Burns, possibly caused by cigarettes, caustics, acids or friction from ropes or chains.
• Soiled clothing or bed linens.

 

If a situation does not feel right, speak with someone

Don't assume the problem is being caught by state agencies or wait until something catastrophic happens. If you believe abuse or neglect may be occurring contact the state DHS at 1-800-232-3020 or call the state Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 1-800-522-2602. Your report of suspected abuse is confidential.