By Dan Noll on February 25th, 2026 in Nursing Home Abuse
Understanding What Types of Abuse Are Nurses Mandated to Report in Illinois, Explained by Experienced Springfield Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
Understanding what types of abuse are nurses mandated to report is an important topic for families with loved ones in long-term care in nursing facilities or rehabilitation centers. Nursing home abuse remains a serious problem across the United States, and Illinois is no exception. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 1 in 10 older adults living at home experience some form of abuse each year. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 1 in 6 people aged 60 and older face abuse in community settings worldwide. Even more alarming, a review of studies on abuse in institutional settings found that approximately 64% of nursing home staff admitted to committing some form of abuse. For families in Springfield and across Sangamon County, experienced nursing home abuse lawyers Dan Noll and Sarah Noll know that understanding mandated reporting laws is a critical step in keeping loved ones safe.
Here at the Noll Law Office, their compassionate legal team helps families in Springfield and throughout central Illinois hold nursing homes accountable for abuse and neglect. The attorneys at Noll Law Office understand the pain and frustration that come with learning a loved one has been harmed. They offer free consultations to families who suspect their loved one has suffered mistreatment in a nursing home, rehabilitation center or long-term care facility. Calling today could be the first step toward justice and accountability for you and your family after nursing home abuse causes preventable harm.
Who Is Considered a Mandated Reporter in Illinois?
A mandated reporter is a person who is legally required to report suspected abuse or neglect while carrying out professional duties. In Illinois, the Illinois Department on Aging identifies mandated reporters as professionals such as nurses, physicians, social workers, law enforcement officers, mental health professionals, and other healthcare providers. These individuals must file a report within 24 hours of developing a reasonable belief that an eligible adult has been subjected to abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation.
What Types of Abuse Are Nurses Mandated to Report in Illinois Nursing Homes?
Under Illinois law, nurses and other healthcare professionals are legally required to report several categories of abuse. The Illinois Adult Protective Services Act (320 ILCS 20) defines the types of mistreatment that trigger a mandatory report where there is “reason to believe” that a resident has been “subjected to abuse, abandonment, neglect or financial exploitation” or where a resident’s wrongful death was possibly caused by “abuse, abandonment, or neglect.”
Under Illinois law, mandated reporters like nurses must report the following:
- Physical abuse, which includes causing bodily harm such as hitting, slapping, kicking, or using inappropriate physical restraints
- Emotional or psychological abuse, such as verbal threats, intimidation, humiliation, or isolating a resident from others
- Sexual abuse, meaning any forced or unwanted sexual contact or activity with a resident
- Neglect, including the failure to provide basic necessities like food, water, medication, hygiene, or medical care (either intentionally to punish or unintentionally due to staffing or lack of training, skill or ability to care for all residents)
- Financial exploitation, which involves the unauthorized or illegal use of a resident’s money, property, or other resources
- Abandonment, which occurs when a caregiver deserts a resident who depends on that person for care, and
- Other causes of abuse, neglect or malpractice which result in harm to innocent residents in Illinois nursing home facilities that the Springfield nursing home abuse lawyers at the Noll Law Office can handle for you and your family.
Each of these categories carries serious consequences for both the victim and the facility responsible for their care. Nurses who fail to report suspected abuse can face criminal penalties in Illinois, including misdemeanor charges, which may be admissible in a civil nursing home abuse case – especially where it could appear that the staff was trying to hide the abuse from being detected (and therefore getting staff and the facility in trouble).
Emotional and Psychological Abuse of Nursing Home Residents
Although physical abuse is the most obvious form which does not need introduction, emotional abuse is one of the most common yet hardest to detect forms of nursing home abuse. Unlike physical injuries, the signs of emotional abuse often remain invisible to the eye. Research published through the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) indicates that psychological abuse accounts for a significant portion of all mistreatment reported in long-term care settings. Other sources reveal that emotional abuse is usually the first form of abuse, which continues to get worse and is then accompanied by physical or sexual abuse, or neglect and abandonment.
Although it can be very difficult to detect, residents who suffer emotional abuse may become withdrawn, anxious, or fearful. They may stop eating or refuse to participate in activities they once enjoyed. Staff members who yell at, belittle, or threaten residents are committing abuse under Illinois law. Isolating a resident from family visits or social activities is also a form of emotional abuse, usually which goes hand-in-hand with abandonment or neglect. Nurses who witness this behavior or notice sudden changes in a resident’s mood or personality have a legal obligation to report it if there is any “reason to believe” that it is occurring – a very low threshold. A resident who was once outgoing but suddenly becomes quiet and refuses to leave their room may be experiencing emotional or psychological harm which may be compensable under Illinois law.
Sexual Abuse in Long-Term Care Facilities
Sexual abuse in nursing homes is a deeply troubling issue that often goes unreported because the victims are often unable to defend themselves and report this egregious misconduct. This type of abuse involves any non-consensual sexual contact or activity with a resident, in which almost all forms of sexual abuse in a nursing home are non-consensual due to the position of authority that staff are in over residents. It can be committed by staff members, other residents, or outside visitors too – including other residents’ family or friends. Residents with cognitive impairments, such as those living with dementia, are especially vulnerable because they may be unable to communicate what happened to them. Facilities in Sangamon County and throughout Illinois have a duty to protect every resident from this type of harm which carries both civil and criminal penalties for abusers and facilities who fail to act.
Nurses should watch for warning signs that may suggest sexual abuse has occurred, including:
- Unexplained bruising or bleeding in the genital area
- Torn or stained clothing or bedding
- Sudden fear or anxiety around a specific caregiver or resident
- New or worsening behavioral changes, including withdrawal or agitation
- Signs of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- Odd and uncharacteristic behaviors of a resident, including hypersexuality due to the abuse or complete withdrawal
- Suicide and self-harm events, and
- Other types of serious nursing home abuse that Dan Noll and Sarah Noll could handle for you and your family in Illinois.
Any suspected sexual abuse must be reported immediately to the appropriate authorities. In Springfield, families can also contact the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Nursing Home Complaint Hotline at 1-800-252-4343.
Neglect: What Types of Abuse Are Nurses Mandated to Report Regarding Basic Care
Neglect is one of the most widespread forms of abuse in nursing homes across Illinois. It happens when a caregiver fails to provide the basic necessities that a resident needs to stay healthy and safe. Understaffing in Illinois nursing homes is a major contributing factor to neglect, as overworked staff members may cut corners or overlook the needs of residents in their care.
Common signs of neglect in nursing homes include:
- Unexplained weight loss, dehydration, or malnutrition
- Untreated bedsores or pressure ulcers
- Poor personal hygiene, including soiled clothing or bedding
- Unattended falls or injuries that go without medical treatment
- Medication errors, missed doses, or overmedication
- Unsafe or unsanitary living conditions within the facility, and
- Other forms of neglect or abandonment that occur to residents in nursing homes, long-term care facilities or rehabilitation centers in Illinois.
Nurses who observe any of these conditions in a Sangamon County facility or any Illinois nursing home must report them promptly. Filing a report helps protect not only the affected resident, but also other residents who may be experiencing similar neglect or abandonment.
Contact Noll Law Office if You Still Have Questions Regarding What Types of Abuse Are Nurses Mandated to Report
If you believe a loved one has been the victim of abuse or neglect in a Springfield, Illinois, nursing home, you do not have to face this situation alone. The Noll Law Office fights for families across central Illinois who have been affected by nursing home abuse, neglect or malpractice. Their compassionate legal team understands the mandated reporting requirements under Illinois law and uses that knowledge to build strong cases on behalf of victims and their families.
Dan Noll and Sarah Noll and fifth-generation lawyers in Illinois, who offer free consultations and works on a contingency fee basis, which means there are no upfront costs. Unlike other attorneys in Illinois, Dan and Sarah handle cases in-house and do not refer cases to new lawyers in Chicago who are just starting their legal careers. Rather, Dan and Sarah are experienced trial lawyers who have a proven track record of holding negligent nursing facilities accountable for injuries caused to resident by a defendant’s abuse, neglect and malpractice.
To learn more about how the Noll Law Office can help you and your family, call their Springfield nursing home abuse lawyers to schedule your free consultation by dialing (217) 414-8889 or sending a message here.