Report in the Journal Gerontology Says Neglect Twice as Likely in For-Profit Nursing Homes

The journal Gerontology just released a report about health issues at for-profit nursing facilities. Researchers discovered the likelihood of residents suffering health issues because of poor care was nearly twice as high compared to residents of not-for-profit nursing homes.

Researchers discovered more severe clinical signs of neglect, such as broken catheters, severe dehydration and residents with stage three and four bed sores, in residents of for-profit facilities.

These findings line up with previous studies that have shown signs of neglect are more likely in residents at for-profit facilities compared to non-profit facilities. However, these studies only focused on individual clinical signs, like injuries. This means past studies may have underestimated the number of residents affected by neglect.

Researchers reviewed medical records of 1,149 patients from five hospitals in the Chicago area that serve approximately 10 percent of patients in the state. These patients were at least 60 years old or older. These patients were seen at hospitals between 2007 and 2011 for a variety of health issues that might have been caused by poor care.

While analyzing medical records, researchers tried to assess the relationship between the type of residence – community-dwelling, not-for-profit facility, for-profit facility – and any clinical signs of neglect.

The lead researcher said more oversight of these facilities is needed, along with improved screening and reporting neglect. Better staffing and training to enforce these actions could also help.

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