Maltreatment of patients in nursing homes: there is no safe place

pt. I. Nursing homes and theories of abuse

1. The nature of nursing homes

Myths and facts about nursing homes

How nursing homes got started

Nursing homes as bureaucracies

Nursing homes as total institutions

Barriers to nursing home abuse research

2. Nursing aides : the backbone of care in nursing homes

Workforce issues and problems of nursing home aides

Narratives of nursing home aides

3. Understanding abuse

Why nursing homes may be good for abusers

Nursing homes and the motivated offender

Patients and their possessions as suitable targets

Guardianship in nursing homes

Countervailing forces

Summary

pt. II. Nursing home theft

4. Employees and theft

Results from the survey of employees

Conclusions about employees

5. The victims and their families

Family members' reports of theft

What is stolen?

Conclusion

6. Preventing and reducing theft

Theft precautions for patients

Theft precautions for nursing homes

Reporting of theft

Theft prevention training programs

pt. III. Physical and mental maltreatment

7. Physical abuse and neglect

Abandonment, segregation, and neglect

Government reform committee

Types of physical abuse

Sexual abuse

Neglect

8. Psychological abuse and neglect

Types of psychological abuse

Some effects of psychological abuse

Neglect

9. Reducing the risk of physical and psychological abuse

Screening practices

Staff education and training

Advocacy

pt. IV. Fraud, reform, and recommendations

10. Exploitation of nursing home patients : their finances and rights

Financial abuse

Reform of nursing home regulations

11. Summary and conclusions

Appendix. Methodology

Data collection

Employee questionnaires

Measuring theft

Response rates from the survey of employees

Victimization survey

Family members' questionnaire

Glossary.