Behind Closed Doors: Preventing Sexual Abuse in Nursing Homes

Prescott Cole of California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, a LAAC member and support center, recently spoke with journalists from TruthDig on the epidemic of sexual violence against vulnerable seniors in nursing homes.

“Public awareness of the crime is crucial because its victims—mostly women—are often hampered by cognitive and physical disorders, making it difficult or impossible for them to report it themselves. ”

Mr. Cole says that most nursing home aides are only required to have up to 160 hours of training, which is minimal compared to many other professions. He worries that many attendants don’t receive enough training to recognize the signs of abuse – sexual or otherwise.

“Neglect is rampant in many long-term care facilities. Residents slump in their wheelchairs without being repositioned for hours, or they don’t get the help—and nourishment—they need at mealtimes.”

This abusive and careless treatment is made all the more frightening following the recent revelation that the Federal Administration plans on “scaling back the use of fines against nursing homes that harm residents or place them in grave risk of injury.”