Nursing Homes: Many Shortcomings Exist in Efforts to Protect Residents from Abuse (GAO Report 02-448T)

Nursing Homes: Many Shortcomings Exist in Efforts to Protect Residents from Abuse (GAO Report 02-448T) The 1.5 million elderly and disabled individuals residing in U.S. nursing homes are highly vulnerable because of their physical and cognitive impairments. Residents typically require extensive assistance in the basic activities of daily living, such as dressing, feeding, and bathing, and many require skilled nursing or rehabilitative care. Residents with dementia may be irrational and combative. This combination of impairments heightens the residents' vulnerability to abuse and impedes efforts to substantiate allegations and build cases for prosecutions. GAO found that oversight by . . .