1,600 resident sex offenders in nursing homes

According to the non-profit nursing home group, A Perfect Cause (www.aperfectcause.org), there are more than 1,600 registered sex offenders in nursing homes. If that figure isn’t shocking enough, the group has also documented over 60 cases of rape, assault and murder – all of which occurred in nursing homes. The group says that nursing homes often take in residents with shaky pasts simply because families and state agencies simply don’t know where else to put them. In many cases, those residents are not elderly, have severe psychiatric issues and may harm the elderly that reside in the same facility. However, compounding the problem is that nursing home staff either doesn’t know everything about the person’s past, and if they do, privacy laws prohibit them sharing that information with other residents.

A nursing home’s responsibility

Nursing homes are responsible for the safety of their residents and must take reasonable steps to protect them. Unfortunately, many nursing homes and assisted living facilities don’t always have enough staff – or adequately trained staff – to accomplish that.

While every facility is different, families and friends of the resident are encouraged to speak with an elder care attorney if they suspect that their loved one has been injured for any reason – including violence or the more common complaints of neglect. While it’s sad to think that those who rely on others for care could be hurt or neglected, the truth of the matter is that it happens all the time. Find out what an experienced nursing home attorney can do for you.