Fear of Retaliation Silences Victims

In June 2023, the Long Term Care Community Coalition (LTCCC) released a new report titled “They Make You Pay: How Fear of Retaliation Silences Residents in America’s Nursing Homes.” It is made worse from the unsafe staffing at most facilities. Understaffing in America’s nursing homes is lethal.

The Economic Policy Institute found that long-term care workers (over 80 percent of whom are women and who are disproportionately Black and immigrant women) are substantially underpaid and most lack any employer-provided retirement or health benefits. Most facilities lack the staff needed to prevent abuse, neglect, and avoidable harm to vulnerable residents.

With an aging population, incidents of elder abuse are increasing at alarming rates. A study by the Department of Justice discovered that 10% of adults over 60 in the U.S. experience some form of abuse each year. Shockingly, the research further suggests that only one of every 24 cases is reported.

Types of threats included:

• Threats to delay or not provide services and care
• Threats of neglect and abuse to residents
• Threats of physical violence against residents
• Threats of retaliation if a resident reported sexual abuse
• Threats to discharge residents.