New study reveals elderly mistreatment is at an all-time high in these ten states

October 28, 2024 / RP Legal

The team at Rikard and Protopapas is committed to serving its community by assisting the mistreated elderly to receive the compensation they deserve. After extensive research, we have found that these ten states have the highest average of mistreatment of elderly people. 

  Key Findings:

  • Washington is revealed as the state with the highest proportion of mistreated elderly care home patients.  
  • Per every 100,000 people aged 65 or over, there are 3,597 maltreatment cases reported annually in Washington.  
  • Missouri, Texas, Maine, and Oregon make up the top five states with the most mistreated elderly population.

Washington’s elderly population is revealed as the most mistreated in America. 

National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS) data was gathered and analyzed by our team to reveal the states with the most mistreated elderly population. 

This study was conducted using the number of maltreatment reports in each state where the victims were over 65 years old. Based on this, we calculated the average number of reports made per year for each type of maltreatment. The total number of maltreatment cases was then measured against the over-65 population in each state to reveal the number of cases per 100,000 people.  

Washington, Missouri, and Texas are revealed to be the top three states where elders are commonly mistreated, respectively.  

States with the most elderly mistreatment, 2024: 


Rank  State  Total average maltreatment reports per year  Average yearly reports per 100,000 population over 65  Most common type of maltreatment 
1  Washington 47,252 3,597 Financial Exploitation
2  Missouri 36,942 3,309 Self-neglect
3  Texas 127,724 3,115 Self-neglect
4  Maine 9,308 2,953 Unlisted
5  Oregon 24,054 2,950 Neglect
6  Kansas 13,582 2,679 Self-neglect
7  Alaska 2,597 2,560 Self-neglect
8  Montana 5,430 2,380 Self-neglect
9  Oklahoma 14,858 2,226 Self-neglect
10  Virginia 31,146 2,122 Self-neglect

#1 Washington  

Washington ranks first and is the state with the highest rate of elderly mistreatment. Per every 100,000 people aged over 65, 3,597 reports are filed annually, with the average total number of reports at 47,252. Financial exploitation is the most common form of maltreatment in Washington; NAMRS defines this as improper use of an individual’s funds, property, or assets – the state sees an average of 11,818 financial exploitation reports per year. 

#2 Missouri 

Missouri ranks second, seeing an average of 3,309 reports per every 100,000 people aged over 65, with an average of 36,942 total reports annually. Self-neglect is the most common form of maltreatment, with 13,129 average reports per year; this is followed by financial exploitation, which sees an average of 6,808 reports per year. Interestingly, self-neglect is considered elderly abuse; NAMRS defines it as a person’s inability to perform essential self-care tasks. It is regarded as abuse as it signifies the failure of someone intervening or assisting one with the care an elder needs to live safely and healthily. 

#3 Texas  

The third state with the highest proportion of elderly mistreatment is Texas, which sees 3,115 cases per 100,000 people annually. The state sees an average of 127,724 total maltreatment reports per year. The most common form of maltreatment in Texas is self-neglect, with a shocking average of 73,139 cases per year; this is followed by neglect, which sees 15,559 cases per year. NAMRS defines neglect as the failure of a caregiver to provide the services needed to maintain the health and safety of an individual – this is reinforced by Texas’ healthcare shortage. 

#4 Maine

Maine ranks fourth, with a total of 2,953 maltreatment cases per 100,000 people; the state sees an average of 9,308 average maltreatment cases per year. The most common form of maltreatment in Maine is unlisted, which means there is an average of 2,056 uncategorized maltreatment cases per year in Maine. This is followed by self-neglect, which sees 2,043 cases annually. 

#5 Oregon 

The fifth state with the most mistreated elderly population is Oregon. For every 100,000 people aged over 65, there is an average of 2,950 cases annually, and the state sees a total of 24,054 average maltreatment reports per year. The findings revealed that neglect is the most common form of maltreatment, with the findings revealing an average of 9,989 reports filed annually. This is followed by financial exploitation, which sees an average of 5,647 cases filed annually. According to the Oregon Department of Justice, the state has recognized its high level of elderly abuse. The state has implemented reporting tools such as hotlines, online portals, and designated agencies to help report suspected abuse. 

#6 Kansas  

The sixth state with the most elderly mistreatment is Kansas; for every 100,000 people aged over 65, there is an average of 2,679 cases annually, and the state sees a total of 13,582 maltreatment reports per year on average. As is common in the previous states, self-neglect is the most common form of maltreatment, seeing an average of 5,573 reports annually. This is followed by neglect, which sees 2,190 cases filed annually. 

 

Rounding out the top ten is Alaska in seventh place, with an average of 2,560 reports per 100,000 people aged over 65; Montana in eighth place, with an average of 2,380 reports per 100,000 people; Oklahoma in ninth place, with an average of 2,226 reports per 100,000 people and, Virginia in tenth place, with an average of 2,122 reports per 100,000 people. 

 

Commenting on these findings, Robert Rikard our head nursing home abuse lawyer has said: 

“Many elderly patients in nursing homes already suffer from illnesses or medical conditions, making it crucial to take any improper treatment seriously. It’s alarming that these maltreatment figures are so high, especially in states like Washington, Texas, and Oregon.”

“Providing the best care for the elderly is more critical than ever, especially given that a growing proportion of Americans are living longer. These findings shed light on the states with the most severe issues, which can allow for the allocation of the correct resources, training, and measures to reduce the number of maltreatment reports and injuries”. 

If you or a loved one has suffered mistreatment at a nursing home, hospital, or anywhere else, call our attorneys for a free consultation at 803-978-6111

 

END

If you use any of these insights, please link credit to https://rplegalgroup.com/ as they are responsible for analyzing the data. 

Source: National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS), US Census 

Methodology: NAMRS data was analyzed to reveal the number of maltreatment reports.  

The approximate population over 65 in each state was calculated using 2022 census data. 

This data was filtered to only include cases where the victim was over 65 years old and then used to find the average number of recorded cases of each maltreatment type per year.  

 

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