Are you concerned that your loved one may be a victim of nursing home abuse? If you think that it's "just your imagination," it may not be. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, nursing home abuse affects millions of Americans, and it happens regularly in the long-term care and nursing home settings.

Not only does elder abuse and neglect affect millions of elderly citizens, the NCEA and other interests groups are certain that it's grossly underreported. When you consider the number of Alzheimer's and dementia patients, that's understandable.

What types of abuse are there?

Nursing home abuse and neglect come in many forms, and according to the NCEA, these are the top forms of abuse in the nursing home setting:

• Physical abuse – 29%
• Resident-on-resident abuse – 22%
• Psychological abuse – 21%
• Gross neglect – 14%
• Financial exploitation – 7%
• Sexual abuse – 7%

When researchers studied the processes being used to detect and resolve elder abuse and neglect in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, they discovered that the current systems in place are deeply flawed.

After examining the facts, the researchers determined that the estimates of abuse and neglect are lower than reality suggests, according to the NCEA.

It's Time to Take Action

Do you suspect that your loved one is being mistreated, neglected or abused? Are they complaining of abuse? No matter how outrageous their claims may seem, it's important that you look into them further.

Sadly, poor hiring practices, understaffing, and overcrowding give rise to nursing home neglect and abuse, and it's an American epidemic.

If you notice that your loved one is acting withdrawn, or if they've lost a lot of weight, or if they have unexplained restraint marks or bruising, it's time to contact a personal injury attorney and take action to protect your vulnerable loved one.