It’s something many families don’t consider when placing their loved ones in long-term care. And on Monday, the Arizona Republic tackled the issue of resident-on-resident abuse.
The report was part of a series of stories related to the myriad challenges facing residents in long-term care. Resident-on-resident abuse isn’t a new phenomenon, but it can be deadly and many families may not even realize it’s a risk.
For Dana Kennedy, the state director of AARP Arizona, this latest story was difficult to read.
"There's a real level of frustration that more is not being done to hold these assisted living facilities and dementia care units accountable. And I think that the fact that, you know, a staff person doesn't even know if they should be reporting, and they need to go to their boss first, I think highlights a real serious problem," Kennedy said.
Kennedy says a big hurdle for families is the reporting process and she wants a better system for reporting all instances of abuse and neglect. She also wants lawmakers to make long-term care a priority.
"The Department of Health Services, you know, is, you know, doing the best they can, but they also need resources to be able to do their job as well. And I know that we had a frustrating process with even getting somebody appointed to run the Arizona Department of Health Services. And I don't remember any question about what they were going to do for abuse and neglect in long-term care facilities," she said.
The Republic considered solutions, which included private bedrooms and better training for staff, something Kennedy echoed.
