ALF Residents with Agression

The current issue of the Journal of Applied Gerontology features an article, Resident Aggression and Abuse in Assisted Living. The full article is available as an html here or a pdf here.

The introduction explains: “The purpose of this article is to estimate the prevalence and identify risk factors of engaging in resident aggression and abuse in assisted living facilities. Measuring the prevalence of resident aggression and abuse in assisted living facilities is needed to better understand the scope of the problem. Identifying strategies to mitigate and prevent resident aggression and abuse can help to improve social well-being and progress toward achieving public health objectives.”  The authors conclude that

Prior studies have found evidence of resident abuse in nursing homes (Pillemer et al., 2011Pillemer & Finkelhor, 1988Pillemer & Moore, 1989). Our findings build on this knowledge base with nationally representative estimates of resident aggression and abuse in assisted living settings. In conclusion, this study provides evidence of the prevalence of resident aggression and abuse in assisted living facilities. Given the rising prevalence of dementia and aging population in the United States, resident aggression and abuse is a growing problem that warrants more attention from policy makers, researchers, and long-term care providers. Furthermore, dementia and SMI were significant risk factors for physical, verbal, and sexual abuse in residential care settings. Future research is needed to develop better methods for identifying residents at greater risk of engaging in abuse as well as supporting ongoing training and prevention efforts to mitigate this risk.