Mistreatment of Dementia Patients in Hospital and Care Facilities

People worldwide are living longer. By 2030, 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged 60 years or over. (World Health Organization, 2022). Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important to invest in the care of older patients. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, today, around 6.5 million Americans over the age of 65 live with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. This number could increase to 13.8 million in 2060 if no medical breakthroughs are made. However, in a study conducted in 2014, psychological abuse was estimated to affect anywhere from 27.9 to 62.3 percent of older adults with dementia (Dong, 2014). Considering there are many more kinds of abuses – physical, financial, sexual, verbal, medication – it can be assumed that the proportion of dementia patients who are being abused is significantly high.

Mistreatment and abuse of dementia patients is so widely spread and integrated within society that no one individual can solve such a systematic issue. Then, what should be done when it is discovered that a patient has been the victim of abuse at a care facility? First, the patient should be immediately removed from the facility. If the patient is not removed immediately from an abusive setting, there could be additional severe long term damage to their mental and physical well-being on top of what abuse has already occurred. Following their relocation, the patient should receive any necessary medical care. Also, an attorney should also be contacted as soon as possible. An attorney may be able to help hold the individual or facility responsible for the abuse accountable, while recovering costs associated with the abuse. (Alzheimer’s care facility abuse - causes, types and reporting)

However, it could be said that it is more important to prevent abuse than to discover and handle one. When selecting a nursing home, long-term care facility, or in-home caregiver for dementia or Alzheimer’s patients, it is absolutely crucial to look for a facility or caregiver that has training and experience working with dementia patients. Caring for a dementia patient is not the same as caring for other elderly patients (McHugh, 2022). Compared with caregivers of people with other conditions, dementia caregivers tend to provide more extensive, intensive, and longer assistance and experience financial, emotional, and physical difficulties. They are often so concerned with their loved ones’ needs that they lose sight of their own well-being. (Lu et al., 2018)

Mileski et al. article used a total of 30 articles for qualitative analysis. The authors re-examined the 30 articles and documented each quality improvement initiative or factor related to abuse of persons with dementia or Alzheimer’s in the long-term care setting and were sorted into 5 positive facilitators and 6 negative barriers (Mileski et al., 2019) 

The five facilitator themes were policies/programs, education, working conditions, screening/assessment, and staff characteristics. These themes provide solid goals that nursing homes and care facilities can focus on in order to improve the quality of life for their residents. They can also pose as weaknesses that certain programs have, recognized as negative barriers.

As listed, the quality of policies/programs, working conditions, screening/assessment, and staff characteristics play a huge role in preventing dementia patients from being abused. The article discusses that the best way to prevent abuse is to continually look for signs of abuse and to attentively listen to the residents, especially those who are most vulnerable living with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s disease (Mileski et al., 2019).

To conclude, it is important to give proper care to dementia patients, as the number of patients is continuously increasing in the United States. However, the caring process is indeed challenging. Caregivers must consult experts for tips for giving care to patients but also to take care of themselves while doing that.

Works Cited

Alzheimer’s care facility abuse - causes, types and reporting. Nursing Home Abuse Guide. (n.d.). https://nursinghomeabuseguide.com/abuse-injuries/patient-with-alzheimers/alzheimers-abuse/facilities/

Dong, X., et al. (2014). Elder abuse and dementia: a review of the research and health policy. Health affairs (Project Hope), 33(4), 642–649. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2013.1261

Lu, Y., et al. (2018). Caring for the Caregiver: A Lifestyle Intervention for Caregivers of Dementia Patients. Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal, 17(2), 58–61.

McHugh, J. (2022, February 7). Dementia patient abuse in long-term care facilities. Lopez McHugh LLP. https://www.phillymalpracticelawyer.com/blog/dementia-patient-abuse-in-long-term-care-facilities/#:~:text=While%20some%20Alzheimer’s%20care%20facilities,financial%2C%20sexual%2C%20and%20more.

Mileski, M., et al. (2019). Preventing The Abuse Of Residents With Dementia Or Alzheimer's Disease In The Long-Term Care Setting: A Systematic Review. Clinical interventions in aging, 14, 1797–1815. https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S216678

Mudd, A. (2022, June 30). Caring for a dementia patient: The 10 most important tips. Chapters Health System. https://www.chaptershealth.org/chapters-of-life-blog/medical-conditions/caring-for-a-dementia-patient-10-most-important-tips-for-family/

World Health Organization. (2022, October 1). Ageing and health. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health#:~:text=At%20this%20time%20the%20share,2050%20to%20reach%20426%20million.