How to Recognize Elder Abuse

The most reprehensible thing to discover, is that an elderly person is being abused. Many times, this abuse goes undetected, especially if the person has no family, lives alone or is in a nursing home. The elderly often times are helpless and unless we help them, they will be left to suffer during a time in life when they should be cherished and love. Here are some of the symptoms that may indicate elder abuse.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Visit often

1. Loss of weight: Weight loss can be a sign of abuse. If those in charge of an elder person is not regularly preparing meals or are preparing sub standard meals, the result could be a loss of weight. It does not take long for an elderly person to lose weight.

2. Sleeping all the time: This can be a sign, the person or nursing home caring for them, is over medicating the person, to make it easier to deal with them.

3. Sexual abuse: It is hard to imagine but, sexual abuse happens to the elder all the time. Signs of sexual abuse could be venereal disease, unexplained blood on under garments, bruises or tears on genitalia or breast.

4. Bruises: Elderly people bruise easily because their skin is thinner. Bruising could be a sign of physical abuse, such as hitting, dropping or neglecting hygiene.

5. Depression: Depression could be a sign of abuse. If the person was usually an upbeat happy person and suddenly they are depressed or always crying, this can be a sign of emotional abuse, such as being yelled at or threatened if they complain.

6. Fearfulness: There could be elder abuse involved if, all of a sudden the person seemed to be afraid, this can also be a sign that someone is threatening, physically or emotionally abusing them.

7. Bed soars: Bedridden seniors, need to be turned on a regular basis, to avoid ulcerated soars on the body. If your elderly loved one has a lot of bed soars, this could be a sign of elder abuse or neglect.

Tips & Warnings

• Always report elder abuse

Resources

• Elder Abuse and Neglect

[grove]

on 6/2/2009 This is such a sad subject but really important for people to know about. With my uncle, I found that neglect at his nursing home was a big problem, too.

[Jolocol]

on 5/20/2009 Important subject. Check for bruises due to squeezing too, such as on the wrist. Often they can't communicate it. I hope this article helps a few people know what to look for!