Elder Abuse & Neglect Warning Signs
About 2.1 million Americans are victims of elder abuse and neglect, according to the Office on Aging. For every one case of reported elder abuse, five go unreported, according to the agency. Elder abuse is caused by many factors and affects elderly adults from all walks of life. Elder abuse in nursing facilities is highly publicized, but is a small percentage of the overall problem. The majority of elder abuse occurs in homes.
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Types
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There are five types of elder abuse: physical, emotional, sexual, financial and neglect. Physical abuse involves inflicting pain on a person leading to injury. Emotional abuse includes the silent treatment, humiliation and the infliction of fear. Sexual abuse is any type of coerced sexual activity or forced viewing of sexually explicit materials; sexual abuse is rare in the elderly. Financial abuse involves any misuse of the elder's assets from embezzlement to forged signatures. Neglect is when the caregiver denies basic needs such as eating and sanitation. In some cases, the elderly neglect themselves.
Causes
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The causes of elder abuse are numerous. Common conditions leading to abuse in nursing facilities include heavy workloads and inappropriate levels of responsibility because of high turnover among certified nursing assistants who provide the most direct care. The Center on Aging recognizes that some caregivers have a history of depression, financial instability and substance abuse that can lead to feelings of resentment when caring for a dependent elder who has deteriorating health. Often, elders with various forms of dementia physically abuse caregivers, leading to intense caregiver frustration.
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Risk Factors
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Many elderly people possess traits that contribute to the likelihood of abuse. They might have been abusive parents or spouses, which causes their spouses and children to treat them poorly when their health fails. They might be socially isolated, have a history of substance abuse or lack financial resources. The physical health of the elder also plays a role. Those who have dementia are more likely to be abused.
Signs and Symptoms
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Physical abuse shows up as bruises, repeated unexplainable injury that is easily dismissed by the bearer and persistent refusal of treatment for injuries. Emotional abuse is harder to determine, but often displays itself in the form of increased social isolation, lack of communication, fear and suspicion, chronic health problems and evasiveness. The symptoms of sexual abuse are sexually transmitted infections, damage to sexual organs and torn or bloody undergarments. Financial abuse is apparent if there is unexplained debt, large withdrawals of funds, unusual ATM activity and forged signatures. Neglect can be suspected in cases where the person shows sunken eyes, excessive thirst, increased or new incontinence, weight loss and bed sores.
Prevention
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The most important steps in the prevention of elder abuse are education and recognition. Providing education to families and caregivers about the signs and symptoms, increasing the availability and affordability of skilled nursing care, increasing social networks for elder Americans and providing therapeutic treatment for elders, their families and caregivers are all vital in the prevention of elder abuse.
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