Nursing Home Abuse Statistics

As a percentage, New Mexico has one of the fastest growing elderly populations in the United States, meaning more and more New Mexican families will be faced with the tough decision of moving themselves or a loved into a nursing home for required care. Millions of elders are abused each year in the United States, including in New Mexico.

• Up to 5 million elders are abused in nursing homes

• About 1 in 10 elders over 60 years old have been abused at some point

• 24% of residents in nursing homes have experienced at least one instance of physical abuse while in a nursing home • Only about 1 in 14 incidents of elder abuse are reported • The majority of reported elder abuses are verbal while about 10% are physical and 14% are outright neglect

• Neglect is when caregivers do not provide food, housing, medicine or hygiene

• Women are more likely to be abused than men

• 50% of nursing home residents with dementia are neglected

• Family members are responsible for 90% of elder abuse cases

• Spouses and adult children account for 2/3 of all elder abuse cases

• Elder abuse injuries cost nursing home residents $5.3 billion in medical costs every year

• Financial abuse costs elders $2.9 billion per year

• Elders who have been abused are 4 times as likely to end up in a nursing home

Nursing homes can be dangerous places for the elderly. In 2016, 34 of the State’s 77 nursing homes received monetary and payment denials for failing to comply with federal and state safety requirements. Had nobody intervened they may have died.

In recent years, there have been over 2,217 regulatory infractions reported in New Mexico nursing homes. Most of the nursing homes in New Mexico are Medicare or Medicaid certified, meaning they are subject to federal quality of care regulations and receive annual survey and inspections by the New Mexico Department of Health. The infractions include violations for inadequate infection control, dietary services, pharmacy services, and quality of care issues for failing to maintain residents highest practicable physical, mental and psychosocial well-being. They also include clinical issues such as lack of proper wound care. These infractions often lead to serious injuries or deaths.

If you or a loved one has been mistreated at a nursing home reach out to the Davis Kelin Law Firm at (505) 242-7200. We handle nursing home abuse cases in New Mexico. We want you to seek justice so that mistreatment does not happen to someone else in the future!