Research Progress on the Prevalence and Influencing Factors of Elder Abuse in Long-Term Care Facilities

Wanhui Yu; Ziheng Jin; Yanan Shi; Hui Li

doi:10.6911/WSRJ.202609_12(9).0010

Authors

Wanhui Yu School of Nursing, Jining Medical University, Jining 272067, China
Ziheng Jin Jining Blood Center, Jining 272004, China
Yanan Shi College of Nursing, Qilu Medical University, Zibo 255300, China
Hui Li School of Nursing, Jining Medical University, Jining 272067, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6911/WSRJ.202609_12(9).0010

Keywords:

Elder abuse; Long-term care facilities; Nursing homes; Prevalence; Influencing factors; Interventions.

Abstract

Against the backdrop of accelerating population aging, long-term care (LTC) facilities have emerged as an integral component of elderly care provision. Elder abuse in institutional settings constitutes a serious public health and human rights issue, directly impairing the physical and mental health and quality of life of older adults. This paper systematically reviews the epidemiological status of elder abuse in LTC facilities both domestically and internationally, synthesizes the multifaceted influencing factors from the perspectives of older adults themselves, care staff, institutional management, and socio-cultural context, and summarizes existing prevention and intervention strategies at the micro, meso, and macro levels. Current evidence indicates that the overall prevalence of elder abuse in LTC facilities remains relatively high globally, with psychological/emotional abuse being the most common type, while resident-to-resident elder mistreatment (R-REM) also warrants particular attention. Cognitive impairment and disability status are individual vulnerability factors for victimization; caregiver burnout and low empathy are important drivers of abusive tendencies; institutional staffing shortages, inadequate remuneration, and deficient management systems amplify abuse risks; and ageism, weak regulatory oversight, and social isolation constitute macro-level contributing factors. Existing interventions include educational training and psychological support for caregivers, optimization of staffing and management protocols at the facility level, and strengthening of policy regulation and public awareness at the national level. At present, there is still a lack of localized, practical and systematic intervention programs. Future work should be based on the actual situation of the elderly care service industry, improve the risk identification, incident reporting and case management mechanism, and establish a prevention and control system with the collaborative participation of multiple stakeholders, so as to effectively protect the rights and dignity of the elderly in institutions.

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