Difference Between Abuse and Neglect in Nursing Homes

When you place a loved one in a nursing home, you expect them to be treated with care and respect.

Unfortunately, some residents face mistreatment. Abuse is intentional harm, while neglect is a failure to provide proper care. Both are serious and should never be ignored.

At The Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Law Firm, we fight for Nebraska families when nursing homes fail their residents.

If you suspect mistreatment, knowing the difference between abuse and neglect can help you take action to protect your loved one.

What is Considered Nursing Home Abuse?

Abuse in a nursing home happens when someone deliberately causes harm to a resident. It’s not accidental. It’s purposeful mistreatment, whether physical, emotional, sexual, or financial.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is one of the easiest types to recognize. It involves actions like:

●  Hitting, slapping, punching, or kicking

●  Shoving, pushing, or handling a resident roughly

●  Using restraints unnecessarily or improperly

●  Overmedicating or giving the wrong medication on purpose

A person experiencing physical abuse may have bruises, cuts, or broken bones. They may also flinch when a caregiver approaches or seem fearful for no clear reason.

Emotional and Psychological Abuse

Words and actions can cause just as much harm as physical violence. Emotional abuse includes:

●  Yelling, insulting, or humiliating a resident

●  Threatening punishment or abandonment

●  Ignoring or isolating someone on purpose

A person experiencing emotional abuse may withdraw, become depressed, or show sudden personality changes. They might stop speaking as much or seem nervous around the staff.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse in nursing homes is a painful reality. It happens when a resident is forced or coerced into any form of sexual contact. This could include:

●  Unwanted touching or groping

●  Sexual assault or rape

●  Coercing a resident into sexual activity

●  Taking sexually explicit photos without consent

Residents with dementia or communication difficulties are often at greater risk because they may struggle to report what’s happening.

If you notice unexplained bruising, torn clothing, or sudden behavioral changes, it’s important to ask questions.

Financial Exploitation

Nursing home residents are vulnerable to financial abuse, which occurs when someone takes advantage of them for financial gain. This can look like:

●  Stealing money or personal belongings

●  Forging checks or forcing a resident to change a will

●  Misusing credit cards or bank accounts

●  Pressuring a resident into giving gifts or loans or signing over benefits

If you notice missing funds, unpaid bills, or new accounts opened in your loved one’s name, financial abuse may be the cause.

What is Considered Nursing Home Neglect?

Neglect happens when a nursing home fails to provide the care a resident needs. Unlike abuse, neglect may not always be intentional, but it’s just as dangerous.

Whether it’s a lack of food, medication, assistance, or supervision, neglect can cause serious harm—even death.

Basic Needs Neglect

A nursing home is responsible for providing residents with food, water, hygiene, and a clean environment. When they don’t, residents suffer. Signs of basic needs neglect include:

●  Dehydration and malnutrition

●  Untreated bedsores

●  Dirty clothing or bedding

●  Unsafe or unsanitary living conditions

If a nursing home isn’t keeping up with these basic duties, residents can become seriously ill or develop infections.

Medical Neglect

Some residents require daily medications, therapy, or specific treatments to stay healthy.

Medical neglect happens when staff fail to:

●  Give prescribed medications on time

●  Treat infections, injuries, or chronic conditions

●  Respond to medical emergencies quickly

●  Provide necessary assistance to ensure the resident’s safety, such as assistance with walking, toileting, and assistance with eating, such as cutting up food for the resident’s safety or feeding them and assisting them with drinking fluids

If a loved one’s health is declining without explanation or if they seem overmedicated or in pain, medical neglect could be to blame.

Social Neglect

People need social interaction to stay mentally and emotionally healthy. When a nursing home ignores this need, it can lead to:

●  Keeping a resident isolated from friends or family

●  Refusing to allow phone calls or visits

●  Ignoring residents’ emotional needs

Isolation can cause depression and make a person feel abandoned, even when their family is trying to stay involved.

Supervisory Neglect

When a facility doesn’t have enough staff or doesn’t properly train employees, residents may not get the supervision they need. This increases the risk of:

●  Falls that lead to broken bones or head injuries

●  Wandering off and becoming lost (especially for those with dementia)

●  Being left in bed for long periods, leading to pressure sores

●  Severe neglect leading to starvation, dehydration, kidney failure, sepsis, and death

Many cases of supervisory neglect happen because a facility is understaffed. That’s no excuse. Residents deserve to be properly cared for at all times.

Most nursing homes are understaffed due to a decision to keep staff levels low to cut costs and significantly increase profits.

Main Differences Between Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Abuse and neglect both harm nursing home residents, but they aren’t the same. The main differences come down to intent, the nature of harm, and frequency.

Intent

Abuse is intentional—someone deliberately harms a resident through physical violence, threats, or financial exploitation.

Neglect isn’t always intentional but still causes suffering. It often happens due to overworked or untrained staff, but even if it’s not on purpose, it’s still dangerous.

Nature of Harm

Abuse is active harm, like hitting, stealing, or yelling. The damage is often immediate and visible—bruises, broken bones, or fear.

Neglect is passive harm—a failure to provide care. It may not show right away, but weight loss, infections, and emotional withdrawal are clear signs.

Frequency

Neglect is far more common because many nursing homes are understaffed. Residents may be left unattended, leading to falls, bedsores, or missed medications.

While abuse may be a single act, neglect often happens daily, wearing down a person’s health.

Take Action Against Nebraska Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Both abuse and neglect in nursing homes are serious and must be reported. No one deserves to suffer in silence, and taking action could save a life. If you suspect a loved one is being mistreated, don’t wait.

Speak up. Ask questions. Get help.

At The Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Law Firm, powered by Reed Law Offices, PC, LLO, we are committed to fighting for the rights of Nebraska’s seniors.

Call 402-933-0588 today for a consultation. Your loved one’s safety matters, and so does your voice.