Senior maltreatment- What it is and what you can do to prevent it

It is difficult for most of us to believe that anyone would abuse someone who is vulnerable but for many reasons it does happen.  The stresses of everyday life make otherwise normal acting people act irrationally. It is not easy to be a caregiver and those without the proper support and guidance can become an abuser of one of the most vulnerable populations.

There are many reasons why abuse occurs and many types of abuse toward elders. They include: physical, emotional, neglect, financial, abandonment and sexual abuse.  Some of this occurs when caregivers get frustrated or overwhelmed.

1. Physical abuse can occur in the form of slapping, burning, hitting or kicking.
2. When elders are forced to take part in a sexual act that they cannot and/or do not want to take part in then it is considered sexual abuse.
3. Neglect occurs when the needs of the senior are neglected.  The failure to feed, house, cloth and give medical care is types of neglect.
4. Emotional neglect can be defined as harming the elder’s well-being with name calling, not letting them see their relatives or friends, embarrassing them or destroying their property.
5. Financial abuse happens when someone is misusing the elder’s money, assets or property.
6. When a caregiver leaves an elder alone and does not provide the care that is needed then abandonment has occurred.

Who is at risk? Any elder is at risk if the caregiver is stressed, depressed, uses drugs or alcohol and lacks training and social support. If the caregiver is a family member with children and a family they may become overloaded with responsibilities that they did not plan for. Caregivers in institutional settings may not be trained properly and background checks often don’t include all the information that is needed to make a better judgment when hiring.

How does it affect health of the elder? Not only are there physical injuries that can include bruises, welts, cuts and broken bones but there is an emotional effect to abuse. The elder may become fearful and anxious. They are vulnerable to their caregivers and often will not report because of fear of abandonment or more abuse.

How can you help prevent this? You can prevent it by listening to the elders and their caregivers, intervening by calling the local authorities if you suspect abuse. Even if you are not positive you should report. It is better to be wrong and have to apologize then to be right and allow further abuse to take place.

Being a caregiver is often overwhelming so it is important to seek professional help if you feel stressed. You need to take a break, walk away from the situation and involve family members or other groups in your area that can help you cope.

Resources

National Center on Elder Abuse

National Institute on Aging

Elder Abuse Helplines and Hotlines

1-800-677-1116 If it is an emergency dial 9-1-1 immediately