The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study, conducted by the National Center on Elder Abuse at the American Public Human Services Association for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, examined the prevalence of elder abuse in the United States. It found approximately 450,000 elderly persons were abused or neglected (Wallace, 2005). While the majority of abuse happens in the home by a family member, there is a rise in the amount of elderly abuse being reported in nursing homes. In 2000, states were asked to indicate the number of elder abuse reports received from nursing homes. Based on figures from 54 states, the total number of reports was 472,813 (Teaster, 2003). A study prepared by the minority staff of the Special Investigations Division of the House Government Reform Committee found that 30% of nursing homes in the United States, 5,283 facilities, were cited for almost 9,000 instances of abuse from 1999 to 2001 (Waxman, 2001). The report stated that 1,601 of these instances could have or did cause the resident serious injury or death. The instances reported ranged from physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, bedsores, inadequate medical care, malnutrition, dehydration, preventable accidents, inadequate sanitation and hygiene. Some other shocking finds of the report were that more than 40% of the abuse violations were not reported until formal complaints was brought by residents or family members. 1,327 of the nursing homes were cited more than once for abuse violations during this two year period, 305 were cited for three or more violations and 192 were cited for five or more abuse violations (Waxman, 2001).
If you have an elderly parent of relative in a nursing facility there are signs to look for to determine if your loved one is being properly cared for according to HelpGuide.Org.
Emotional abuse
Threatening, belittling, or controlling caregiver behavior that you witness
Behavior from the elder that mimics dementia, such as rocking, sucking, or mumbling to oneself Sexual abuse
Bruises around breasts or genitals
Unexplained venereal disease or genital infections
Unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding
Torn, stained, or bloody underclothing
Neglect
Unusual weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration
Untreated physical problems, such as bed sores
Unsanitary living conditions: dirt, bugs, soiled bedding and clothes
Being left dirty or unbathed
Unsuitable clothing or covering for the weather

Financial exploitation
Significant withdrawals from the elder’s accounts
Sudden changes in the elder’s financial condition
Suspicious changes in wills, power of attorney, titles, and policies
Addition of names to the senior’s signature card
Financial activity the senior couldn’t have done, such as an ATM withdrawal
Unnecessary services, goods, or subscriptions Healthcare fraud and abuse
Duplicate billings for the same medical service or device
Evidence of overmedication or undermedication
Evidence of inadequate care when bills are paid in full
Problems with the care facility:
- Poorly trained, poorly paid, or insufficient staff
- Crowding
- Inadequate responses to questions about care

In Georgia the nursing home facilities that have received three or more warnings according to the annual report by Medicaid and Medicare for actual harm or immediate jeopardy in 2010 were Magnolia Manor of Columbus and Palmyra Nursing Home in Albany. The homes with two warnings were Appling Nursing and Rehabilitation in Baxley, Coastal Manor in Ludowici, Fountainview in Atlanta, Memorial Manor in Bainbridge, Nancy Hart in Elberton, Place at Martinez in Augusta, and Woodlands in Midway (National Nursing Home Watch List, 2010). By the year 2030, those age sixty and older will more than double to eighty-five million, whereas the number of elders over the age of eighty-five will triple to eight million (Wallace, 2005). Senator John Breaux, Chairman of the aging committee stated, “As the nursing home population grows, I fear incidents of elder abuse will grow more common unless we do more to ensure the quality of care for residents.”

References
Teaster, P.B. (2000). A Response to the Abuse of Vulnerable Adults: The 2000 Survey of State Adult Protective Services. Retrieved from: http://www.elderabusecenter.org
Wallace, H. (2005). Family Violence. Fresno, California: Pearson Education, Inc.
Waxman, H.A. (2001). Abuse of Residents is a Major Problem in U.S. Nursing Homes. Minority Staff Special Investigations Division Committee on Government Reform.