The federal government tracks the quality of nursing homes. They do so because many times nursing homes receive federal funds from Medicare and Medicaid. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services rates nursing homes across the country on a 5 star scale. In 2011 35 percent of nursing homes received either a one or two star rating.

This means that a large portion of nursing homes in the United States consistently fail to adhere to standards that contribute to quality patient care. These low ratings can suggest nursing home neglect and facilities not working to improve their care. Sometimes nursing homes will try to blame low ratings on complex medical care needed by an increasing number of residents, but ultimately the accountability of quality of care should lie with the nursing home.

Many elderly people are living longer than ever before. Advances in medical technology have contributed to longer life expectancy of a growing elderly population. This means the number of people in need of assistance through nursing homes is increasing. Many times the residents of nursing homes suffer from degenerative, long term illness, some which affect their ability to communicate.

Because some elderly people aren't able to communicate affectively, they may be easily taken advantage of. Nursing home abuse isn't limited to physical abuse and can include emotional and financial abuse. The operators of these facilities need to be held accountable for their staff and should work hard to prevent abuse of a highly vulnerable group of people.

Source: USA Today, "U.S. nursing home ratings shift," Feb. 9, 2012