Standing Against Abuse & Neglect: How Families and Facilities Can Protect Resident Rights

This article is the first of four in our Residents’ Rights Month series.

October is Residents’ Rights Month, a time to shine a light on the dignity, safety, and wellbeing of those in long-term care settings. Nursing home abuse, elder neglect, and long-term care safety are critical issues that remain front and center. Families and facilities alike share the responsibility of ensuring that residents are not only safe, but also respected, engaged, and heard.

Understanding the Scope of Abuse and Neglect

By the Numbers: Why Awareness Matters

• In institutional settings, 64.2% of staff surveyed admitted to some form of abuse in the past year. 
• In one study of nursing homes, 44% of residents reported they had personally experienced abuse, and 48% said they had seen rough treatment of other residents.         

• According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Roadmap, only 1 in 24 cases of elder abuse is reported to authorities.

These sobering statistics remind us that elder abuse and neglect in long-term care facilities are not rare exceptions—they are widespread issues that demand vigilance from both families and providers.

Abuse and neglect in nursing homes and assisted living communities don’t always look like dramatic or obvious events. They often happen quietly: a resident’s requests ignored, medications delayed, meals skipped, or their dignity dismissed. Other times, it can be more direct—emotional intimidation, physical harm, or financial exploitation.

What makes these risks especially concerning is that many residents are unable—or afraid—to speak up. Families and facilities must be proactive in identifying red flags before they escalate into harm.

Systemic Factors That May Lead to Abuse and Neglect

It’s important to acknowledge that most staff enter caregiving with compassion and good intentions. When abuse or neglect occurs, it is often a symptom of larger systemic challenges rather than individual malice. Factors include:

• Staffing shortages and burnout: Chronic understaffing leaves caregivers stretched too thin, making mistakes more likely and patience harder to maintain.  

• Stress and lack of support: Long hours, emotional demands, and inadequate training can push staff toward frustration, which sometimes manifests in neglectful or even abusive behavior.  

• Poor workplace culture: Facilities that fail to value their staff, listen to their concerns, or model respectful behavior create environments where mistreatment of residents is more likely to occur.  

• Inadequate training: Without proper guidance, staff may not recognize that certain actions—like rushing care or ignoring requests—can amount to neglect.

Understanding these root causes is key. It allows families and facilities to advocate not just for accountability but for the resources, training, and workplace culture that help staff provide safe and compassionate care.

The Role of Families: Staying Connected & Empowered

Families are the first line of defense when it comes to protecting loved ones. Regular involvement, engagement, and communication are essential to ensuring small issues are noticed and addressed before they become patterns. Here’s how:

• Frequent, varied contact: Visiting at different times of the day gives a fuller picture of daily care. If visits aren’t always possible, phone or video calls can provide additional reassurance.  
• Observing subtle changes: A shift in mood, appetite, or appearance can signal distress. Even small changes matter.  

• Building relationships with staff: Open communication fosters trust and makes it easier to raise concerns without confrontation.  

• Leveraging technology like Livindi: Livindi gives families a window into their loved one’s daily life, with tools like secure video calls, remote health and wellness monitoring, and an additional emergency alert system. Features like these empowers families to be more engaged—even from a distance.

Note that abuse and neglect can occur not only in institutional settings but also in home care environments. Older adults receiving care at home may face similar risks if a caregiver fails to meet their needs, behaves unprofessionally, or takes advantage of their trust. Families should remain vigilant for warning signs such as unexplained injuries, sudden behavioral changes, or missing personal items. In suspected cases, Adult Protective Services (APS) provides a key resource for investigating and addressing abuse in home-based care.

Creating a Culture of Safety in Facilities

While staffing shortages are an ongoing challenge across the care industry, facilities can still foster safer, more supportive environments through culture and practices—not just headcount. Some key steps include:

• Training and education: Equip staff to recognize early signs of neglect or abuse and empower them to speak up without fear of retaliation.
• Encouraging transparency: Facilities that welcome family involvement and external tools like Livindi signal accountability, not weakness.
• Focusing on consistency: Even with lean staffing, consistent routines and communication reduce errors and create predictability for residents.
• Prioritizing dignity in care: Small gestures—knocking before entering, listening without rushing, and honoring preferences—go a long way in safeguarding rights.

This emphasis on safety and resident advocacy builds trust between facilities, families, and residents.

Enhancing Transparency, Oversight and Collaboration in Long-Term Care

Some facilities may initially worry that introducing technology like Livindi could feel intrusive. In reality, however, these tools are designed to build trust and collaboration. In today’s climate where staff shortages and burnout are challenges and concerns about abuse and neglect are high, embracing transparency isn’t just a safeguard, it’s a reassurance for everyone involved. Livindi supports this by making daily care more manageable and coordinated. Families stay connected without overwhelming staff, residents feel empowered and supported, and caregivers gain practical tools such as integrated health and wellness monitoring to track vital signs, plus the Helper Portal to prioritize tasks and reduce stress. Together, these features promote clarity, confidence, and collaboration across all levels of care, creating an environment where everyone benefits and residents’ rights are truly protected.

Livindi at a Glance: Benefits for All

Together, these features strengthen relationships, elevate care quality, and create a culture of safety and trust across families, staff, and facilities.

Families

Livindi helps families stay close and informed, even from a distance. The digital frame shares photos, video messages, and updates that keep loved ones connected to daily life. Livindi’s video calling feature allows families to see and talk directly with their loved one—helping them observe their appearance, mood, and environment firsthand, and quickly notice any changes that might indicate concern. Through remote monitoring and emergency alerts, families gain peace of mind knowing they’ll be notified if something seems off—without placing extra burden on staff.

Residents

Residents feel comforted and confident knowing their families are close by through Livindi’s digital frame and video calls. The tablet’s calendar, medication reminders, and gentle alerts help them stay organized and independent, while the emergency response system ensures help is always within reach. Livindi helps residents feel safe, supported, and connected.

Staff

Livindi’s Helper Portal and integrated monitoring tools streamline communication, reduce stress, and allow caregivers to focus more on direct care. With clearer priorities and fewer disruptions, staff can build stronger trust with families while maintaining a calm, organized care environment.

Facilities

Livindi also supports the financial health of facilities by improving operational efficiency and satisfaction for both residents and families. By reducing complaints, improving communication, and helping staff work more effectively, Livindi can lower turnover, strengthen reputation, and contribute to a stronger financial bottom line.

When Abuse or Neglect Is Suspected: What Happens Next

If families, staff, or residents suspect abuse or neglect, there are established protocols to protect the resident and trigger an investigation:

Immediate action for safety: Facilities must ensure the resident is safe, often by separating them from the alleged perpetrator and providing medical or emotional support.

Internal reporting: Staff are mandated reporters and are required to alert supervisors and document concerns right away.

External reporting: Families or staff can contact their state’s Adult Protective Services (APS) or Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. If there is immediate danger, local law enforcement should be called.

State-specific rules: Reporting timelines and required documentation can vary, but most states mandate that suspected abuse or neglect is reported within 24 hours. For more information and links to state-specific reporting resources, visit the American Bar Association’s state-by-state guide on reporting elder abuse at americanbar.org. Facilities that receive Medicare or Medicaid must also comply with federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reporting requirements.

Consequences: Substantiated cases may result in staff retraining, suspension, or termination. Facilities may face citations, fines, loss of funding, or corrective action plans. Families also have the right to pursue civil legal remedies.

Understanding these steps helps families know what to expect and empowers them to act quickly if they believe a loved one’s rights are being violated.

Protections Against Retaliation

One of the biggest concerns for families and staff is fear of retaliation after making a report. Federal law and most state regulations include whistleblower protections that prohibit retaliation against anyone who makes a good-faith report of abuse or neglect. This means staff cannot be lawfully punished for reporting, and facilities are not allowed to intimidate or penalize residents or families who raise concerns. While fear is natural, these safeguards are designed to ensure that speaking up leads to protection and accountability—not further harm.

If retaliation is feared or suspected, families and staff should document the concern and immediately notify the state’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman or Adult Protective Services. These agencies can investigate not only the original abuse allegation but also any acts of intimidation, harassment, or punishment related to the report. In severe cases, legal remedies are available, and federal protections ensure that retaliation itself is treated as a violation.

By emphasizing resident rights, nursing home safety, elder abuse prevention, and caregiver support, we can ensure that this Residents’ Rights Month is not just about awareness but about real, lasting change.

Coming Next Week: Standing with Care Teams: Addressing Staffing Shortages and Protecting Daily Care

Next week, we’ll explore one of the most pressing challenges in long-term care—how staffing shortages impact daily care, and how families, facilities, and technology can work together to support care teams and safeguard residents’ wellbeing.