Elder Abuse

What is Elder Abuse?

Every year, tens of thousands of elderly Americans are abused in his or her homes, in relative’s homes, and even facilities responsible for his or her care. They may suspect that an elderly person could be being physically or emotionally harmed by a neglectful or overwhelmed caregiver or being preyed upon financially. .

Example: When walking up the street there is an elderly person with his or her mail, a noticeable black and blue mark is on the cheek they may not see or hear well or think as clearly as he or she used to, leaving openings for unscrupulous people to take advantage of them. Mental or physical ailments may make them more trying companions for the people who live with them.

Tens of thousands of seniors across the United States being abused by people put in charge of their welfare.   More than half a million reports of abuse against and elderly person reach authorities every year, and millions more cases go unknown (www.ncea.aoa.gov) (Placeholder1).

There have been identified six types of abuse: physical, emotional, sexual, neglect and abandonment by caregivers, financial exploitations, and health care fraud, and abuse. Signs and symptoms of elder abuse at first may not be recognizable or taken seriously, thinking they are dementia, or signs of fragility, caregivers may explain it this way. In fact, many of the signs and symptoms of elder abuse do overlap with symptoms of mental deterioration, but that doesn’t mean they should dismiss them on the caregiver’s word (www.helpguide.org).

The warning signs of abuse are frequent arguments or tension between the caregiver and the elderly person, changes in personality, was the person usually talkative, outgoing, and warm, now to be cautious, afraid, and standoffish.   These are signs of abuse. Unexplained signs of injury such as a visible bruise, welts, and scars they didn’t have before maybe sytemmetrically on both sides of the body.

Broken bones, sprains, or dislocations...