Unspeakably, sex abuse in nursing homes is occurring at an alarming rate. It is impossible to know just how many victims are out there. This is because nursing homes are slow to investigate and report allegations because of their reluctance to believe accusations, or a desire to hide them.  Police view the claims as unlikely at the outset, dismissing potential victims because of failing memories or jumbled allegations.

 

Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services report that from between 2010 and 2015, that 226 nursing homes have been cited for failing to report incidents in which sexual abuse was substantiated.

 

Reports of residents climbing into other residents bed and eating their food, or running wildly up and down halls, pulling out knives and other weapons.

 

Ann Burgess, a well-known nurse, and a Boston College Nursing Professor, who specializes in the assessment and treatment of elderly sexual abuse victims, stated, “there are other cases where they try to cover it up…they blame the victim.”