Determining the rates of nursing home abuse in Washington DC is a complex process. This is mainly because most incidents involving elder abuse go unreported. Even if a resident makes a complaint against their nursing home, this complaint may not result in an investigation.
Still, a federal report has issued some statistics as to how often elder abuse occurs in nursing homes nationwide. These statistics estimate that only a small number of residents nationwide file a complaint.
However, the rate of abuse in nursing homes is likely much higher than this. Something as simple as a failure to provide a proper diet or water when needed may constitute abuse. Therefore, reported nursing home abuse statistics in Washington DC are not necessarily indicative of the odds of experiencing abuse in a nursing home.
The Department of Health and Human Services issued a report in 1999 in an attempt to summarize the rates of abuse in nursing homes nationwide. Even this report stated that obtaining solid data concerning rates of abuse is difficult as most incidents go unreported. This is mainly due to most residents being unable to recognize abuse when it happens or lacking the means to file a report.
In sum, HHS believes that between one and three percent of residents in nursing homes actually registered a complaint. In the same vein, the report concludes that there is no way of knowing if these complaints are substantiated in fact. Still, it is likely that incidents of abuse are more common than can be reported by the data. Any resident in a nursing home and their family members should be aware of the risks inherent in Washington DC nursing homes.
The DC Board of Health is responsible for the regulation and licensing of nursing homes in Washington DC. This includes the initial issuing of a license to operate as well as inspection tours for continued running of the facility. As a result, any citizen can file a complaint with the board alleging any violation of the responsibilities of nursing homes.
The board does publish their reports and licensing procedure but does not summarize these findings in any way. Still, the Board can be a valuable resource for people looking to gain more information on rates of abuse in Washington DC nursing homes.
Another source of data concerning abuse in nursing homes could be the criminal courts. All criminal cases are public record and allegations of abuse in nursing homes are published by court reporters. An examination of court records may allow a person to gain an understanding of how often courts try cases alleging nursing home abuse.
The federal government estimates that between one and three percent of all residents in Washington DC nursing homes have reported some form of abuse. This says nothing about how many people have actually experienced this abuse.
While the Washington DC Board of Health investigates allegations of nursing home abuse and publishes those findings, they do not issue any summarizing data on these reports.
As a result, nursing home abuse statistics are nebulous at best. However, it is fair to assume that any form of abuse may go unreported. Due to a lack of knowledge concerning their rights or an inability to speak out on their own, many residents suffer in silence. Contact an attorney if you suspect that a loved one has been harmed due to nursing home abuses in Washington DC.
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