Monthly Newsletter

August 2025 Monthly Newsletter

In This Issue -

See Something? Hear Something? Investigate!
Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult is a Felony
Exploitation of an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult is a Second-Degree Felony

A Call to Action for Society to Address a Demographic Shift in Health Care
Toolkit for Engaging Patients to Improve Diagnostic Safety
Misleading Marketing Practices in Medicare Advantage

See Something? Hear Something? Investigate!

As a healthcare professional, we have interactions with elderly and vulnerable adults, even if we don’t directly work in a long-term care facility. Abused residents are 3 times more likely to be hospitalized. However, it is important to be observant because many cases of elder abuse don’t get reported.

The Nursing Home Abuse Center (NCOA) states just 1 in 24 cases are reported. When it comes to reporting nursing home abuse, you can prevent the continuation of the abuse and even save a life. Victims of elder abuse are 300% more likely to die than non-victims.

According to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), approximately 1 in 10 nursing home residents in the United States experiences some form of abuse.

What is the most common abuse in nursing homes?

Emotional mistreatment is the most common form of nursing home abuse. Up to 81% of staff reported that other co-workers had emotionally harmed residents, according to recent elderly abuse in nursing homes statistics.

The American Institute of Healthcare Compliance (AIHC) is a non-profit healthcare training organization and a licensing/certification partner with CMS. We hope reading this August 2025 Newsletter will increase your awareness. Do your part, when a patient shows signs of potential abuse or any kind, don’t turn a blind eye. Ask questions and let the facility and family members know follow up is needed, and why. According to SeniorLiving.org in a post “Elder Abuse Statistics for 2025”, last year more than 7,600 health citations were issued to U.S. nursing homes due to abuse and neglect of residents.

Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult is a Felony

Abuse and neglect can have serious physical and psychological effects on older adults. Survivors report higher rates of depression and social withdrawal, leading to increased hospitalization and premature death, as reported by the National Council on Aging.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention defines elder abuse as “an intentional act or failure to act that causes or creates a risk of harm to an older adult” (age 60 or older). Elder abuse includes physical abuse, emotional/psychological abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, and abandonment. Perpetrators include children, other family members, and spouses—as well as staff at nursing homes, assisted living, and other facilities.

July 21, 2025 Case in Point - The South Carolina’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF) has arrested Robin C. Hatley, a caregiver at Peral at Five Forks Memory Care Center, for Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult {43-35-0085 (D)}.

Hatley struck a vulnerable adult resident multiple times on the head, face, and nose. The victim, classified as a vulnerable adult under South Carolina law, was a resident of the facility at the time of the alleged incident. Pearl at Five Forks Memory Care Center reported this incident to law enforcement and cooperated fully with investigators. This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult is a felony and, upon conviction, has a penalty of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both in South Carolina. Read more about this case.

Exploitation of an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult is a Second-Degree Felony

Florida’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) Makes Arrest

On July 18, 2025 Florida’s MFCU announced the arrest of Akimmia Lewis for financial exploitation of a senior residing in a nursing facility. According to the investigation, Lewis abused her role as the victim’s power of attorney by systematically withdrawing approximately $46,788.60 of the victim’s money to her accounts and made cash withdrawals. Lewis did not use the money to benefit the victim.

Lewis is charged with one count of Exploitation of an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult (under $50,000), a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Read more about this case.

A Call to Action for Society to Address a Demographic Shift in Health Care

National Academy of Medicine (NAM) – July 28, 2025 Discussion Paper

With more than half a million people globally living beyond the age of 100, it is time to rethink how health professionals and educators view older adults and the aging process, according to authors of a new NAM Perspectives discussion paper.

The current US health care industry prioritizes disease management and acute care over prevention and healthy aging.

To meet the needs of growing longevity, health care will need to focus on both quantity and quality of life using holistic approaches to health care that consider proactive planning and prevention strategies as well as efficient and effective strategies to manage chronic diseases ensuring thriving and resiliency as we age. Please click here to access the ability to open and download this important paper.

Toolkit for Engaging Patients to Improve Diagnostic Safety

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Diagnostic errors occur in all care settings and one in three patients will experience a diagnostic error firsthand. Research suggests that communication breakdowns during the patient-provider encounter are a leading contributor to diagnostic errors.

The risk is real, which this family witnessed as reported by People - Died After Being Sucked into MRI Machine on July 24, 2025. Police responded to a 911 call at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, N.Y., just after 4:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday, July 16, and learned a 61-year-old man experienced a “medical episode” after he was caught in one of the machines, according to a news release from the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD). The man is said to have been wearing “a large metallic chain around his neck” when he entered an MRI room while a scan was in progress.

About the Toolkit

The toolkit contains two strategies, Be the Expert on You and 60 Seconds to Improve Diagnostic Safety. When paired together, these strategies enhance communication and information sharing within the patient-provider encounter to improve diagnostic safety. Each strategy contains practical materials to support adoption of the strategy within office-based practices. Watch the 11-minute toolkit webinar and more information. Download the 2-page Toolkit Roadmap.

Misleading Marketing Practices in Medicare Advantage

New OIG work Plan Item

The Office of Inspector General has posted July Work Plan Items. Misleading marketing practices in Medicare Advantage plans in one of those items - “In recent years, concerns about aggressive and deceptive marketing practices in Medicare Advantage have become more pressing. These concerns have focused on agents and brokers used by Medicare Advantage plans who target and mislead seniors, at times enrolling them in plans without their knowledge or directing them to plans that substantially increase their out-of-pocket costs. This study will examine Medicare Advantage marketing practices and the harms they cause to individuals. It will focus on the complaints individuals reported to CMS from 2020 to 2024 about Medicare Advantage marketing practices. We will also look at the actions taken by agents and brokers that led to the complaints and the incentive structures that encourage brokers to change individuals' enrollments.”

Review this Work Plan Item - Expected Issue Date is 2026.