Right now, an elderly is being abused.

It could be you but are not aware of it. Even if you do, you prefer to be mum about it for fear of the repercussions. You fear that you won’t be taken seriously, be told that you are imagining things, or be told that you are getting senile.

Elder abuse is very real and it is happening every day. In fact, in 2017 1 in 6 people, aged 60 and above,  was abused in one way of another. What is tragic is that only 1 in 24 reached the authorities.

But what is elder abuse?

What is Elder Abuse

Elder abuse is an intentional act, or failure to act, by a caregiver or another person in a relationship involving an expectation or trust that causes or creates a risk or harm to an older adult (defined as someone aged 60 and above). – CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

Elder abuse comes in many forms, but these are the most common…

1.  Physical abuse

This is the intentional use of force resulting in physical pain, injury or impairment. The giving of inappropriate medications, restraints or confinement falls under this category.

2.  Emotional abuse: 

Emotional abuse is the act of emotionally stressing an elderly through yells, threats, ridicule, humiliation and constant blaming for everything.

3.  Psychological abuse: 

This type of abuse includes ignoring or isolating an elderly from friends and his social circle. It includes acts affecting the mental health of an elderly like terrorizing or menacing.

4.  Neglect: 

Neglect is the intentional or unintentional withholding or denial of medications, food, proper hygiene or sanitation, and social interaction.

5.  Fraud: 

This is the misuse of an elderly’s financial resources such as checks, credit cards or bank accounts. This also includes stealing money or goods, forging an elderly’s signature with the intent of defrauding its owner.

6.  Scams: 

There are so many type of scams preying on the elderly such as paying out money for a non-existing price, investment schemes, phony charities, etc.

This is the most common type of elderly abuse and is dubbed as “the signature crime of the 21st century,” says Richard Corday, director of the Federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Scams are heinous because 90% are committed by family members and close friends. The rest are by caregivers and predatory outsiders.

Elder Abuse Risk Factors

An elderly woman worked for a friend as a house helper without pay. All she wanted was free meals and a place to stay.

A single mom in her younger days, she worked her butt off to send her two daughters to college. And she did it. Unfortunately, shortly after they’ve found work, they left home. For a while they sent her financial support. Over time, her lifeline dried up forcing her to do what she was doing to survive.

Her case is not peculiar – it is one of the risk factors for elder abuse shown below:

• Being financially dependent on others
• Being physically or mentally handicapped
• Living alone
• Suffering from cognitive impairment
• Living with a dysfunctional family
• Suffering from substance abuse

Most of the victims are women, though some men suffer the same fate. They are those who have no family or friends nearby, and people with disabilities, memory problems, or dementia.

Signs of Elder Abuse

Elder abuse must be addressed before it can do more harm. But spotting it is difficult because most of the victims prefer to suffer in silence rather than bring it into the open. So if you care for an elderly in the family or a neighbor watch out for these signs:

• Non-illness related undernourishment
• Having poor hygiene
• Presence of bedsores
• Unexplained injury that hasn’t been properly treated
• Sunken cheeks or eyes evident in poor blood circulation
• Taking the wrong medication
• Frequent emergency room or doctor visits due to welts, bone breaks, cuts, burns, etc.
• Forgetfulness
• Lack of basic necessities such as water and food and utilities like enough lighting and heating
• Depressive symptoms and/or withdrawal from others
• Hesitant to talk freely or join a social circle

These are but a few but with long-term effects on the health and well-being of an elderly.

Effects of Elder Abuse

Elder abuse can affect the victims physically and psychologically which can take time to heal – if ever. Some of the victims many never learn to live normal lives again.

Physical effects:

• Infection from welts, wounds, broken bones and other injuries
• Persistent physical aches and pains that can affect a victim’s mental health
• Nutrition and hydration problems
• Exacerbation of a pre-existing medical condition
• Increased risk to falls
• Increase risk to premature death

Psychological effects:

Victims of elder abuse experience high levels of distress and depression. They may also suffer from:

• High risk of fear and anxiety reactions
• Learned helplessness
• Post traumatic stress disorder (PSTD)
• Sleep deprivation
• Loss of appetite

How to deal with Elder Abuse

Each year, hundreds of thousands of adults, aged 60 and above, are neglected, financially exploited, physically assaulted, or denied their basic needs. Many of the victims are too ashamed or afraid to report their predicament. And these will not stop anytime soon.

But you can help to minimize its occurrence.

Find the time to talk to the victim, and let him/her know what you think; that you think he/or she is being abused.

Get them to talk to you, to open up. Listen with empathy.

Then offer your assistance by letting them know of the various agencies that could provide them the necessary help.

If the situation warrants, don’t hesitate to call 911 or the police.

There is a plethora of venues elder abuse victims can get help from. For example, all communities have a local adult protective agency and many there are many national social service agencies, as well. It is all a matter of reaching out to them for help.

Other than the above, the following government organizations can provide more information on how to deal with elder abuse:

Elderly people may be frail and feeble, forgetful and bump into things at times. Many of them are ridden with medical issues, but they are not a burden. Even if they are, they are a burden worth carrying like you were when you were young.

Image: The Justice Lawyer

~oOo~

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