Stress, Conflict, Elder Abuse and Neglect in German Nursing Homes: A Pilot Study Among Professional Caregivers

A questionnaire survey on elder abuse and neglect in residential settings was conducted among a convenience sample of 80 people working in German nursing homes. Data on nursing staff's experiences of stress and conflict at their workplaces, self-reported incidents of abuse and neglect of nursing home residents, incidents observed as witnesses and subjective theories about causes and motives underlying violence in nursing homes are reported. Whereas 59% report physical or verbal aggression by residents during the previous 2 months, 79% indicate having abused or neglected a resident at least once during that period; 66% witnessed victimizations of residents by colleagues. Different types of neglect and verbal/psychological abuse are most common. Subtypes of elder abuse and neglect show differential correlation patterns with measures of work stress. Subjects attribute abuse and neglect not only to staff shortage and work overload but also to a number of factors in the offender's personality on the one hand and at the political and social level on the other. From a motivational point of view, abuse and neglect are regarded as instrumental acts to reduce workload and as effects of pent-up aggression and inner tensions.