Elder abuse refers to an action or omission of an action, which causes harm or increases the risk of harm to an elderly person. Elder abuse is growing to be big social problem taking into consideration that it is taking place in secrecy especially in homes and care centers and this makes it hard to get actual data. However, studies established that about 5-7 percent of the elderly experience neglect, mistreatment, abuse and victimization either at homes, relative’s homes or in care giver facilities. It is common knowledge that every person in the society irrespective of age deserves to be treated with utmost respect, dignity and be kept safe from harm. It is unfortunate that despite the widespread advocacy against elder abuse approximately 2.1 million elderly in America face different types of abuse, which range from physical, sexual, financial, psychological and utter neglect (APA, 2012 p. 1).
Elderly people are often vulnerable to exploitation, victimization and neglect owing to a number of reasons with the major one being the fact that they are physically frail. It is certainly very hard for most elderly to defend themselves against abuse especially physical, sexual and financial due to their helplessness. For instance, a number of the elderly may not have good hearing or eyesight while others suffer from mental impairment, conditions which are rare in young people and adults (Robinson, et al, 2012). Majority of elders are usually susceptible to frequent illness and this aspect further aggravate their vulnerability. Most of the people who abuse the elderly are those that are very close to them as well as those that are directly responsible for looking after them. This entails that people entrusted with the welfare of the elderly including institutional based care givers family and friends are for the most part responsible for most of the abuse, neglect and exploitation of the elderly.
Several forms of elder abuse exist some of which involve physical body injury, threat of harm, financial, emotional damage and neglect. Significant varieties of abuse against the elderly comprise of neglect, physical, financial, emotional and sexual exploitation (APA, 2012 p. 2). Physical abuse is one of the common forms of elder abuse. Physical abuse involves deliberate use of force by the abuser against the elderly, which may cause physical harm, or impairment on the victim. Physical abuse may involve a number of actions, which may include kicking, striking, pushing, hitting, shoving, slapping, pinching, shaking and or burning (NCEA, 2012). Other examples of physical abuse include inappropriate use of drugs, forceful feeding, forceful medication, physical restraints, as well as physical punishment. Most elderly people have been victims of physical abuse owing to their deteriorated physical strength and mental capacity.
Sexual abuse is a serious form of elderly abuse owing to its severe impact on both mental and physical health, which may include genital or anal infections, and inner thighs bruising. Sexual abuse in the case of an elderly involves forceful sexual contact with the elderly without consent. It is noteworthy that sexual abuse does not only involve physical sexual act but also showing the elderly pornographic materials, unwanted touching, and coerced nudity (NCEA, 2012). Emotional abuse, which involves infliction of anguish distress and or pain through nonverbal or verbal acts, is another form of abuse that the elderly come across in their daily lives. According to Robinson, et al (2012) caregivers as well as friends and families humiliate, ridicule, threaten, yell and harass the elderly. Common forms of nonverbal emotional abuse include terrorizing the elderly abandoning and enforced isolation of elderly from friends, favorite activities, and family. Any act by the caregivers or families and friends that are likely to cause mental distress will certainly lead to emotional distress and as such, they must be discouraged.
Financial abuse/exploitation is another common form of abuse elderly people normally face. Financial exploitation refers to the unlawful or illegitimate exploitation of an elderly person’s by making use of their material goods, valuables, finances or property by the members of the family, relations, the institutional or home based caregiver or other devious persons (Hansen, 2008). Notable financial abuse may include cashing of elderly person’s checks or credit cards without his/her consent, forging of signature, embezzling an elderly person’s money or valuables, engaging in identity theft, stealing money or goods, coercing an elderly to sign checks or issue credit card details. Additionally caregivers can also deceive older people to signing sensitive documents such as will or contract in their favors (NCEA, 2012). Misuse of power of an attorney or guardianship for unscrupulous financial gains is also tantamount to financial abuse.
The elderly have been victims of healthcare fraud and abuse on a number of occasions. Robinson, et al, (2012) asserts that Healthcare fraud is in most cases perpetrated by uncouth healthcare professionals, which include doctors, hospital personnel, professional care providers, and nurses. Notable forms of healthcare fraud and abuses perpetrated against the elderly include charging for healthcares services not provided, double billing for rendered medical services, and receipt of kickbacks for drug prescription or referrals to other healthcare providers. Other types of healthcare rackets and misuse are under or overmedication, Medicaid schemes and recommendation of counterfeit solutions for known medical ailments (Robinson, et al, 2012). Elderly people also suffer from neglect; neglect refers to refusal to fulfill the duty of care to the elderly. An individual in most cases family members or professional caregiver can deliberately refuse or fail to fulfill their assigned obligation to the elderly especially fiduciary responsibilities. Failure to provide paid for in home services to the elderly is tantamount to neglect. Such in-house services to the elderly may include but not limited to cleaning and grooming of house, utensils and clothes provision of food, water, security, medication, and comfort.
Abuse or neglect can be identified in several ways especially by looking at the lifestyle of the elderly person for significant changes. It is often very difficult to recognize signs of elderly person abuse taking into consideration that most abuse normally takes place in solitary places and most elders suffer in silence owing to a number of reasons (Hansen, 2008). For instance, an elderly person may suffer in silence owing to shame and embarrassment of revealing that their abuser is a close relative, friend, family or professional caregivers. Additionally elderly persons are not likely to report cases of abuse especially when they exclusively depend on the abuser for upkeep, housing and sustenance. Despite the fact that victims of elderly abuse may not be willing to report abuses there are several symptoms and signs that can help identify incidences of abuse. Almost every form of abuse ranging from the physical, financial, sexual to neglect can be identified using different signs and symptoms evident on the victims.
Physical abuse can be identified by looking for bruises, bone fractures, lacerations, black eyes, broken bones, skull fractures, open wound, punctures, untreated wounds, dislocations, broken eye glasses or frames. Other symptoms of abuse require detailed examination especially through laboratory tests and x-rays. For instance, it would be hard to find medication overdose and internal injuries or bleeding. One can also identify elder abuse through elderly person’s confession of physical abuse by the caregiver. Caregivers’ refusal to accept visits to see the elderly person alone is evidence enough to claim elderly abuse (NCEA, 2012). Presence of sexual abuse can be identified in a number of ways with the common one being examining the genital and breast areas for the presence of bruises, unexplained venereal or genital infection as well as unexplained virginal or anal injuries or bleeding. Presence of blood stains, and torn underwear may be used as evidence of sexual abuse. The best way of identifying sexual abuse is through elderly person’s confession of rape and or occurrence of other forms of sexual assault.
Emotional abuse can be identified by examining caregiver’s behavior especially threatening, controlling, intimidating, yelling, ridiculing and belittling of the elderly (Robinson et al., 2012). If an elderly person is extremely withdrawn or isolated the presence of unusual behavior normally associated with dementia can be used to identify emotional abuse. An individual can also identify emotional abuse through personal confessions of verbal and nonverbal mistreatment by the caregivers. The instance of financial fraud or malfeasance may be evidenced through examinations which establish unexpected changes in bank account transactions; for instance large cash transactions by caregivers, and unexpected modifications in important documents such as wills. Financial abuse can be identified through unexplained vanishing of valuable or personal property, presence of unexplained transfer of property to caregivers, forged signature for unauthorized financial transactions and additional names as elderly signatory (NCEA, 2012). Elderly persons can also report financial exploitation by loved ones and caregivers making it possible to identify financial abuse. An individual can identify neglect on an elderly life by examining presence of untreated bed sores, malnutrition, dehydration and poor personal hygiene, unattended health problems, hazardous and unsanitary living environment, unsuitable clothing for the weather, and unusual weight loss. Lack of vital medical aids such as hearing aids, eyeglasses and dentures can also be used to identify neglect.
Reporting evident or suspected cases of elder abuse is the best thing that an individual can do to help the elderly victim. Most elderly people suffer in silence and as such very few cases end up being reported. Several ways are available through which an individual can report existing or suspected cases of elder abuse and the most important one being contacting the Adult Protective Services (APS) agency in the states where the elderly exist (AoA, 2012). APS state hotlines are available at the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) website. You can also contact Eldercare Locator by calling 1-800-677-1116 whereby you will be referred to the local agency that can offer assistance (AoA, 2012). If an individual suspects that a professional caregiver in a nursing home is abusing an elderly person then you can report the abuse by calling Long Term Care Ombudsman. The local police department can also be of assistance if you suspect or come across elder abuse and as such make the police aware of the abuse. In instances of elderly healthcare abuse and fraud an individual can contact Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCU) in order to investigate and prosecute Medicaid provider fraud and neglect in medical programs.
Elderly abuse is a growing social problem since several thousand elderly people are abused daily in their homes, nursing homes and relatives homes without being reported. While there are many nonprofessional caregivers such as relatives, friends, and family members may at times enjoy taking care of the elderly, the task is not as easy as it seems due to complications brought about by differential needs. The responsibility and demands of elderly can be so stressful on the side of the caregiver to an extent that it leads to emotional or mental challenges that can make the caregiver burn out and be harsh and impatient with the elderly (Robinson et al, 2012). Educating and training social workers, medical staff and the public is the first major step in preventing elderly abuse. This is because most incidences of elder abuse occur because most of the caregivers both professional and public lack adequate training on the demands, and needs of the elderly, thus succumb to stress and depression that can lead to elder abuse. The public also needs to be educated about the risk factors for abuse and signs of elder abuse and the resources available to assist older adults who are at risk. Education and training will play significant role in changing caregivers attitude towards elderly care giving and appreciate the fact that no one irrespective of age should be subjected to ill-treatment, violence, humiliation, neglect or abusive acts (APA, 2012 p. 8).
References
Administration on Aging. (AoA). (2012). What if i suspect abuse, neglect, or exploitation? Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved from: http://www.aoa.gov/AoAroot/AoA_Programs/Elder_Rights/EA_Prevention/WhatToDo.aspx
American Pyschological Association (APA). (2012). Elder abuse and neglect: In search of solutions. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/resources/guides/elder-abuse.aspx#
Hansen, L. (2008). The 5 types of elder abuse and how to identify them. Retrieved from http://www.agingcare.com/Articles/Identifying-The-5-Types-of-Elder-Abuse-127186.htm
National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA). (2012). Major types of elder abuse. Retrieved from http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/Main_Site/FAQ/Basics/Types_Of_Abuse.aspx
Robinson, L. et al. (2012). Elder abuse and neglect warning signs, risk factors, prevention, and help. Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/elder_abuse_physical_emotional_sexual_neglect.htm
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