America's population is aging, creating the need for greater care for elderly adults than ever before. However, there is a growing concern over the abuse of elderly adults, both in home situations, in private care, and in nursing facilities. Statistics are limited, revealing how little attention this problem receives. Yet one area that can be monitored is not being addressed as it should be: nursing home negligence. In some cases, it's because of overcrowded and understaffed facilities. In others, there are too many undertrained and unqualified staff members, including some who are known to be violent. You need to pay careful attention to your loved one to discover if there are signs of overt abuse or passive negligence. Your loved may be afraid or unable to explain what's happening, so you need to investigate yourself, or enlist the aid of someone from Adult Protective Services to help. You may also want to pursue legal help through an elder abuse lawyer to protect their rights.