Study: Roughly One-Fifth of Residents Mistreated By Other Residents Each Month

A new study out of Cornell University found that about 20 percent of nursing home residents are mistreated by a resident in a given month, a problem that the study's authors said is common, underreported and urgently in need of being addressed.

The most common types of mistreatment, accounting for 16 percent of the total reports, were cursing, screaming and yelling. Other examples included unwanted room entry, going through a resident's belongings without their permission, physical assaults and attempts to gain sexual favors.

The perpetrators of mistreatment were most commonly cognitively impaired but capable of moving around the facility. The researchers recommended that caregivers receive training on recognizing and reporting mistreatment as well as strategies for reducing it.

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