Negligence of elderly people in nursing homes: Factors affecting this crisis

 Behind Closed Doors: What actually goes down in the nursing homes?

Grand Regency

             “BEEP BEEP BEEP… Commack Unit 2-16-16, please respond to Gurwin Assisted Living for an adult male in cardiac arrest.” The alarm jolted us awake. In one minute, we were in the ambulance, racing toward a man whose life depended on strangers like us—because the people paid to watch over him had gone home. When we arrived, there was no nurse, no aide, not even a whisper of care. The man was alive, barely, but alone. Forgotten.

            That scene was not just a once in a blue moon incident, it was a glimpse of something bigger. Negligence of elderly people in nursing homes has increasingly become more and more common throughout the years, but why? Research shows that this phenomenon is closely linked to the workers being underpaid, overworked, and improperly trained.

            According to the World Health Organization (WHO), elder abuse in nursing homes is rising world wide, with as many as 2 in 3 nursing home staff workers admitting to this behavior. WHO states that staff burnout, low pay, and inadequate training are major risk factors for this issue, which are exactly the conditions that are spreading in nursing home facilities worldwide. Although this issue should never occur, the reasons behind it are systemic. When one nurse is responsible for way too many patients, and when aides earn less than a fast-food worker, corners get cut, and this negatively affects the elderly population. 

           One of the biggest reasons elderly residents get neglected in nursing homes is simple: the staff aren’t being paid enough. Many aides and nurses make less than $15 an hour, and in some places, far less. Sometimes, they also take second jobs or extra shifts, which means they’re physically and mentally drained the second they clock in to work. While there is no excuse for negligence, put yourself in their shoes. It is easy to make mistakes when you are overworked, and burnt out.  Trying to provide compassionate care to a room full of frail residents demands patience, and you can't provide your best care, if you aren't giving yourself the best care either. 

            Staffing shortages make this even worse. Some nursing homes operate with only a few nurses, just to save money, which forces employees to juggle double shifts and make impossible choices: who gets fed first, who gets bathed, who gets attention if something goes wrong? This is exactly what my story from the ambulance illustrated. When we arrived in the ambulance, the man’s life literally started withering away while no one was found in the room to help him. Again, while there is no excuse for this to have happened, if the staff had been paid adequately and had enough help on the floor, someone would have been in his room helping him while we were on the way. Low wages and high turnover are strongly correlated with poor care in nursing homes, because overworked staff simply can’t give the attention each resident deserves. 

Miller Cory Rowe

              One big problem with live-in foreign home care is that many workers aren’t properly trained. From my time as an EMT, I’ve seen how small mistakes in care can quickly turn into serious problems. Imagine that happening every day in someone’s home, with no one else watching. According to Ayalon (2009), many foreign home care workers provide care in situations they aren’t fully prepared for, which can lead to neglect or even abuse. Families notice this and try to compensate by giving extra money, gifts, or bending over backward to please the worker, but these coping mechanisms sometimes mask serious problems rather than fixing them.

            The article shows that older adults and family members often feel they need to actively monitor care or take over tasks because they don’t trust the caregiver’s skills. Some even consider hidden cameras or constant check-ins just to make sure their loved ones are safe. This constant vigilance isn’t just stressful, it’s a sign of how untrained care can put everyone at risk, emotionally and physically. Proper training isn’t just about doing the job right, it’s about protecting the health, dignity, and trust of the people that depend on valuable care.

            Some might say that the residents' actions are at fault for the negligence in nursing homes, because they can be rude and sometimes aggressive. While this may be true, it does not justify the negligence that occurs in some nursing homes, because the workers applied for that job, and they are expected to do it well. With the correct training they should know that elderly patients can’t help it, and not be so angry with them. Even if some residents act rudely or aggressively, that never justifies neglect, as trained caregivers are expected to remain patient and professional.

            Neglect in nursing homes and live-in care isn't a stem from one simple direct cause, it's a mix of many different things. It’s a product of a broken system, underpaid, overworked, and often untrained staff trying to do so much with too little. While nothing can make the negligence that occurs right, there are factors we need to consider, in order to fix this issue. My experience as an EMT showed me how a single moment of absence can nearly cost a life, and Ayalon’s research highlights that families constantly compensating for untrained caregivers is happening way too often then it should. Proper training, fair pay, and adequate staffing aren’t just optional, they are necessities in order to have a well oiled care facility. Until the system changes, the elderly population in care facilities will continue to suffer, and families will keep walking a tightrope between trust and fear, hoping someone is actually there, caring for their loved ones.