Families have the right—and often the responsibility—to speak up when something is wrong in a nursing home. Complaints about neglect, unsafe conditions, or poor treatment are essential to protecting vulnerable residents. Unfortunately, across Ohio and the United States, some nursing homes respond to complaints not by fixing problems, but by retaliating against residents and their families.

Retaliation may be subtle or overt, but its message is clear: stop complaining, or things will get worse. For elderly residents who depend on caregivers for daily needs, retaliation can be terrifying and deeply harmful. This behavior is not only unethical—it is illegal.

Pain is not a normal or acceptable part of aging. Yet for many nursing home residents, untreated or poorly managed pain is a daily reality. Elderly individuals often live with chronic conditions, post-surgical pain, arthritis, cancer, or injuries that require careful and consistent pain management. When nursing homes fail to address pain appropriately, residents suffer physically, emotionally, and psychologically.

Across Ohio and the United States, inadequate pain management remains a widespread and underreported form of nursing home neglect. Pain may be ignored, dismissed as “normal aging,” or improperly treated due to understaffing, poor training, or fear of regulatory scrutiny. For vulnerable seniors, the consequences can be devastating.

Every day in nursing homes, residents are transferred from beds to wheelchairs, from chairs to toilets, and from stretchers to beds. These movements may seem routine, but for elderly residents, transfers are one of the most dangerous moments of daily care. When performed incorrectly, transfers can result in severe injuries that permanently change a senior’s life.

Across Ohio and the United States, countless nursing home residents suffer fractures, head injuries, spinal damage, and soft-tissue injuries due to unsafe transfers and improper lifting techniques. These incidents are rarely unavoidable. In most cases, they are the result of understaffing, lack of training, or failure to use proper equipment.

For families of nursing home residents—especially those living with dementia—few fears are greater than the thought of a loved one wandering away unnoticed. Sadly, across Ohio and the United States, nursing home residents continue to suffer serious injuries and deaths because facilities fail to prevent wandering and elopement.

Wandering occurs when a resident moves aimlessly or unsafely within a facility. Elopement is far more dangerous—it happens when a resident leaves the facility or secured area without supervision. Both situations are predictable and preventable when nursing homes follow proper safety protocols.