In 1940, there were only about 10 million people in the United States who were 65 years old or older. That was the first time the country had ever hit such a high number.
Today, though, that total seems tiny. In 2010, there were nearly 40 million people in that age group, or four times as many as there were in 1940. In 2019, it has already surpassed 50 million. Projections show that, unless there is a large and unexpected change, there will be more than 80 million people in this age group by 2050. That’s not nearly as far away as it sounds. In just over 100 years, the aging population will have increased eightfold.
This means that there are going to be more and more people heading to nursing homes and assisted living centers. Their children, busy with their own families, are not going to be able to offer all of the care and assistance that they need. There’s no way around this booming population and the need for professional living centers where they can get proper care.
Unfortunately, that also means that more and more elderly individuals are going to find themselves potentially getting exposed to abuse and neglect. They will be independent relationships with their caregivers, and that can make them vulnerable. Abuse may be mental, physical, sexual or financial. It takes all forms, depending on the specifics of the situation.
If you find out that your loved one is being abused or neglected in a nursing home, you need to know what your legal options are.
