Consensual Sex Between Residents, Employees in Long-Term Care Raises Concerns

Utah officials grapple with lack of regulations around inappropriate relationships in nursing homes and assisted living facilities

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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A series of incidents involving consensual sexual relationships between residents and unlicensed staff at long-term care facilities in Utah have raised concerns about the lack of regulations and oversight to address this issue. While non-consensual sexual contact is prohibited, there are currently no lasting professional consequences for unlicensed workers who engage in consensual relationships with patients they are tasked with caring for, leading to a problematic power dynamic.

Why it matters

These cases highlight a growing problem that the Utah Attorney General's Office has been seeing more frequently, where vulnerable adults in long-term care facilities are susceptible to inappropriate relationships with their caregivers. While consent may be present, the power imbalance and potential for abuse make these relationships highly concerning from an ethical and legal standpoint.

The details

In multiple incidents, young, unlicensed staff members at nursing homes and assisted living facilities have initiated sexual relationships with elderly residents under their care. This includes an 18-year-old high school student who encouraged his friends to also seek jobs at these facilities to take advantage of the residents. In another case, a nursing assistant began a relationship with a resident more than 50 years her senior in order to steal his money. And staff found a physical therapy assistant attempting to have sex with an 80-year-old woman who had gone missing from the facility.

  • These cases were recounted by Kaye Lynn Wootton, director of the Medicaid Fraud and Patient Abuse Division within the Utah Attorney General's Office, to state lawmakers last year.

The players

Kaye Lynn Wootton

Director of the Medicaid Fraud and Patient Abuse Division within the Utah Attorney General's Office.

Jennifer Plumb

A Democratic state senator from Salt Lake City who sponsored a bill last year to criminalize such relationships between long-term care staff and residents.

Nate Crippes

An attorney with the Disability Law Center, which spoke against Plumb's bill, arguing it was too narrowly focused on "vulnerable adults".

Lori Smetanka

Executive director of the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, who believes facilities should prohibit staff from entering into relationships with patients due to the power dynamic and likelihood of coercion or abuse.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, Grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

This issue highlights the need for stronger regulations and oversight to protect vulnerable adults in long-term care facilities from inappropriate relationships with their caregivers, even when consent is present. While criminalizing such relationships may be controversial, facilities must have clear policies in place to prevent these power imbalances and the potential for abuse.