In the Elder Justice Newsletter, we highlight citations, including deficiencies related to abuse, neglect, and substandard care, that have been identified as not causing any resident harm. The goal of this brief newsletter is to shed light on the issue of so-called “no harm” deficiencies, which typically result in no fine or penalty to the nursing home.
June marks Elder Abuse Awareness Month, a time to reaffirm our shared responsibility to protect older adults—especially those in nursing homes and other long-term care settings—from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Abuse in these facilities remains widespread and underreported. Fear, cognitive impairments, and systemic failures often keep the truth hidden behind closed doors.
This month, we highlight nursing homes that were cited for violating one of the most fundamental resident rights under federal law—the right to be free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. These violations involve disturbing failures—physical and emotional abuse, failure to prevent harm, and inadequate supervision of at-risk residents.
Abuse, neglect, and exploitation violations are not isolated incidents. They reflect systemic issues: chronic understaffing, poor training, and a culture that too often devalues older adults’ lives. These failures are preventable—and unacceptable.
In this issue of the Elder Justice Newsletter, we examine the persistent lack of enforcement and oversight that allows harm to continue. As we recognize Elder Abuse Awareness Month, we call for stronger federal and state accountability, adequate staffing and meaningful staff training, and a renewed national commitment to dignity, safety, and justice for every nursing home resident. Every resident deserves to live free from harm.
This newsletter focuses on the following “no harm” violations:
- Failure to protect: Facility ignores repeated abuse allegations.
- No report, no accountability: Sexual abuse allegation ignored.
- Known risk, no protection: Abuse policy not followed.
- Restrained without review: Failure to evaluate use of jumpsuit on resident.
- Silenced in the shower: CNA abuse.
- Fall, fracture, and failure: Neglect leads to broken ankle.
Do YOU think these deficiencies caused “no harm”? Click to download the newsletter or read it in the PDF below.
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