Nursing Home Abuse and Elder Care Research
As part of our advocacy work, the Nursing Home Abuse Center conducts original research into nursing home abuse, neglect, safety violations, and gaps in care quality across the country.
We combine data from federal and state agencies, court records, and other public sources with our own reporting, then translate what we find into clear answers families can use.
- 2 Studies published
- 51 Jurisdictions covered
- 2015 Advocating since
Explore Our Latest Research
51-State Guide: Know Your State's Nursing Home Rights
We compiled resident rights, oversight agencies, ombudsman contacts, reporting procedures, and legal deadlines for all 51 U.S. jurisdictions, revealing how differently states protect nursing home residents.
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Sources: CMS Provider Information file; CMS Health Deficiencies file; CMS Payroll Based Journal staffing data
Best & Worst States for Nursing Home Abuse
Our analysis found major differences in nursing home safety from state to state, with residents in the lowest-ranked states facing significantly higher rates of abuse citations, staffing shortfalls, and serious deficiencies.
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Sources: CMS Provider Information file; CMS Health Deficiencies file; CMS Payroll Based Journal staffing data
CMS Star Ratings vs. Nursing Home Safety: The Gap
Our analysis found that 9.8% of 4- and 5-star nursing homes had a serious red flag, most often an Immediate Jeopardy-level citation, somewhere in their published CMS inspection history.
Sources: CMS Provider Information file; CMS Health Deficiencies file; CMS Penalties file
Nursing Home Staffing Levels by State
By comparing daily nursing hours per resident against federal minimums, we found that staffing shortfalls are far deeper in some states than others.
Sources: CMS Payroll Based Journal staffing data; CMS Provider Information file
For-Profit vs. Nonprofit Nursing Homes: Does Ownership Affect Care?
Our comparison of deficiency rates, staffing, and federal penalties shows how care quality differs across for-profit, nonprofit, and government-run facilities.
Sources: CMS Provider Information file; CMS Ownership file; CMS Penalties file
How We Conduct Our Research
Gather the Public Record
We start with publicly available information: federal and state databases, inspection reports, court records, and peer-reviewed literature.
Analyze and Report
We also draw from our own maintained databases and incorporate additional insight from internal and third-party experts.
Editorial Review
Our editorial team verifies accuracy and sourcing before publication. Each study includes a note on methodology and limits of the data.
Key Information Sources
We choose sources based on the needs of each project and list the main ones alongside every published study.
Learn more about our editorial guidelines- Adult Protective Services data, where public
- CMS Care Compare and Provider Information files
- CMS Health Deficiencies and Penalties files
- Court records and legal filings
- Facility ownership and staffing records
- Peer-reviewed geriatric care and public health literature
- State health department inspection reports
- State long-term care ombudsman reports
- U.S. Census Bureau demographic data
The Team Behind the Research
- Journalists
- Legal professionals
- In-house Certified Senior Advisor
- Patient advocates
- Registered nurses
The Nursing Home Abuse Center has advocated for older adults and their families since 2015. Our team includes registered nurses, patient advocates, an in-house Certified Senior Advisor, journalists, and legal professionals.
Our main work is publishing information families can trust. We explain what different types of abuse and neglect look like, how state oversight works, and what options families have when something goes wrong. When a family needs legal guidance, we connect them with our fully vetted partner law firms.
Research gives us another way to support that work. By studying how facilities perform across the country and within individual states, we can bring more attention to the conditions residents face every day.
Learn more about the Nursing Home Abuse CenterMedia & Press Inquiries
Reporting on nursing home care?
Journalists and other members of the media are welcome to reach out to the Nursing Home Abuse Center with questions about our research, requests for data, or help finding expert sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. We perform our own analysis using public records, federal databases, and internal sources.
Depending on the research, we may compare data across states, examine trends over time, or bring together information from multiple sources to identify patterns that could affect nursing home residents.
The information we use may come from CMS databases, state inspection and ombudsman reports, court records, peer-reviewed literature, census data, and other materials relevant to the topic.
The Nursing Home Abuse Center chooses sources based on the needs of each project and lists the main ones alongside the published study. We also consider the limits of the available data when reviewing our findings.
Our research is developed and reviewed by members of the Nursing Home Abuse Center team, including journalists and professionals with experience in nursing, elder care advocacy, and law.
The people involved can vary by project. Each study also goes through editorial review before publication to verify the data, sourcing, and conclusions.
The Nursing Home Abuse Center is an advocacy and support organization. We aren’t a law firm or a care provider, and our research isn’t a substitute for professional medical or legal advice.
We help families understand what safe care looks like, how to report concerns, and what legal options may be available to them. When someone needs professional medical or legal guidance, we can help connect them with qualified experts.
The Nursing Home Abuse Center's research is for informational and educational purposes. It isn't medical or legal advice. Talk with a qualified medical professional about a loved one's health or a licensed attorney about your legal rights.