Up to 2 million seniors fall victim to abuse each year, according to government statistics. To ensure that your loved ones spend their days in a safe, healthy environment, heed the following.
Find a trusted caregiver - be it a friend, relative, visiting nurse, respite worker or other professional - for in-home care.
2
Encourage the caregiver to speak with physicians, social workers and other professionals who can explain the elder's specific medical, emotional and physical needs.
3
Have friends, family members and neighbors periodically check on the elderly person. Local organizations (visiting nurses or Alzheimer's associations) may also have people who can visit to make sure that everything is all right.
4
Avoid overwhelming or overworking the caregiver. Leave financial and legal issues, such as paying bills and writing a will, to experts in those fields.
5
Help a caregiver express his or her anger or frustration in a way that doesn't hurt the elderly person if you suspect the potential for abuse.
6
Offer to help the caregiver find a support group.
7
Consider attending a support group with the caregiver if he or she is amenable.
8
Consider enrolling the elderly person at a reputable adult day-care center, nursing or retirement home, or another institution serviced by professional social workers and doctors.
Tips & Warnings
Help could be just a phone call away. Look in a telephone book, on the Internet or call a telephone operator for phone numbers of agencies specializing in elder-care needs.
The elderly person might have difficulty hearing, seeing, walking or remembering; each or all of these problems may be due to one or more medical conditions that warrant immediate attention.
Teach your children the difference between acceptable and unacceptable touching, and to trust their instincts about people. Educate yourself about the signs...
