Staff-reported strategies for prevention and management of resident-to-resident elder mistreatment in long-term care facilities.

TitleStaff-reported strategies for prevention and management of resident-to-resident elder mistreatment in long-term care facilities.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2016
AuthorsRosen T, Lachs MS, Teresi J, Eimicke J, Van Haitsma K, Pillemer K
JournalJ Elder Abuse Negl
Volume28
Issue1
Pagination1-13
Date Published2016
ISSN1540-4129
KeywordsAged, Elder Abuse, Homes for the Aged, Humans, Long-Term Care, Nursing Homes, Nursing Staff
Abstract

Resident-to-resident elder mistreatment (R-REM) in nursing homes is frequent and leads to adverse outcomes. Nursing home staff responses may significantly mitigate R-REM's impact, but little is known about current practices. The objective was to identify common staff responses to R-REM. The authors interviewed 282 certified nursing assistants (CNAs) in five urban nursing homes on their responses during the previous 2 weeks to R-REM behaviors of residents under their care. Ninety-seven CNAs (34.4%) reported actions responding to R-REM incidents involving 182 residents (10.8%), describing 22 different responses. Most common were physically intervening/separating residents (51), talking calmly to settle residents down (50), no intervention (39), and verbally intervening to defuse the situation (38). Less common were notifying a nurse (13) or documenting in behavior log (4). Nursing home staff report many varied responses to R-REM, a common and dangerous occurrence. CNAs seldom documented behaviors or reported them to nurses.

DOI10.1080/08946566.2015.1029659
Alternate JournalJ Elder Abuse Negl
PubMed ID25894206
PubMed Central IDPMC4615545
Grant ListK24 AG022399 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG014299 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States