Abstract:
The elderly population in the U.S. is growing each and every year. As this population
grows, so does the number of senior citizens in need of constant care. Many are put into nursing
homes instead of staying with family or receiving in-home care. The issue with this is that far too
many nursing facilities do not give high quality care to residents. The goal of this study was to
investigate what concerns are common at nursing homes and what can be done to resolve these
problems. Based on research studies, articles, statistics, and informational websites, it was found
that some of the most common challenges at nursing facilities are inadequate staffing, high
turnover rate, abuse, neglect, medication errors, overuse of antipsychotics, and staff that are
poorly trained in how to deal with mental impaired residents. There are several ways to alleviate
these issues in order to improve quality of care. A large majority of solutions involve improving
staff numbers, providing better staff training, and helping build trust between staff members.
