What’s the Connection Between Behavior Problems and Nursing Home Abuse?

By Rasansky McKenzie

Nursing home abuse and elderly behavior problems among the elderly may seem like two different issues altogether. After all, isn’t the elderly resident to blame when she acts out and makes aggressive moves toward other seniors or staff members? Not necessarily.

In Behavioral Problems among Patients in Skilled Nursing Facilities, there was a survey taken of 3,456 patients in 42 skilled nursing facilities. Of all the patients 64.2 percent were said to have shown “significant behavioral problems.” While 22.6 percent went beyond that and actually showed “serious problems.” Why all of this unruly behavior by grown-ups and by grown-ups who are presumably trying to live the rest of their lives in peace?

Many doctors and advocates for elderly nursing home residents believe that a lack of comfort and in some cases outright nursing home neglect is provoking this agitated behavior. It’s only human nature to get angry when one experienced what he perceives as injustice. When elderly person feels that their rights have been violated, they might attempt to “revolt” especially if dealing with the effects of dementia.

A study by the Research Institute of the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington (Cohen-Mansfield, Marx, Werner) concluded from a three-month observational study of 24 “agitated and severely cognitively impaired nursing home residents” that the majority of the agitated residents were not involved in any activities for 63 percent of the observation time. It was also discovered that these seniors were not spending any time in structured or social activities to keep their minds occupied. Likewise, it was discovered that residents who were involved in social activities exhibited fewer “agitated behaviors.” This points to a case of nursing home neglect.

OurAlzheimer’s.com further states “people with dementia can receive so little stimulation that they may reach a state of sensory deprivation.” The theory is that once a person is deprived of these senses, she will use self-stimulation or exhibit behaviors that show discontent with the situation she is stuck in. The site goes on to mention even “younger people, when deprived of social activities, can start to hallucinate or develop perceptual distortions which evolve into behavioral problems.”

Usually what happens with behavior problems of nursing home residents is that the nursing home facility is not meeting a minimum level of quality care, and the residents are slowly but surely revolting against this “corrupt administration.” Indeed, elderly neglect and nursing home neglect are often at the root of elderly behavioral problems.

What should you do if your aging relative becomes a problem and the nursing home starts to complain? You might start to investigate why your relative is unhappy. It may be that your relative is trying to communicate with you and express the pain and discomfort they feel.

If the behavior problems of nursing home residents are weighing heavily on your mind, then contact The Rasansky | McKenzie Law at (214) 651-6100. If your relative is being neglected or denied their basic human rights then you may have a lawsuit on your hands. No nursing home resident should ever have to suffer elder neglect.

If you would like additional information on nursing home abuse, be sure to check out our free reports on the warning signs of nursing home abuse, as well as a nursing home resident’s Bill of Rights.

About the Author

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