Bella Lambertz

Older adults that live in assisted living facilities and nursing homes are susceptible to mistreatment and neglect, so much so that it is even said to be as common as child abuse. This can result from neglect via the facilities staff, a result of understaffing, or can even result from an individual's mental and/or physical capabilities such as dementia or depression. This issue of neglect towards our older adults impacts communities all over the world. For this presentation, a zoomed in view on the communities in Minnesota specifically will help us get a better idea as to how this is impacting people on an individual level. Results suggest that we need to do a better job ensuring that our most vulnerable populations receive the care and respect that they need to thrive in the later years of their life. Whether it be through the enforcement and passage of new state policies or smaller community-level changes, change has to be made in regards to how these assisted living facilities and nursing homes are managed and must uphold to high quality standards when it comes to the treatment of their residents.