Elder abuse is a common occurrence in the modern world. It involves physical abuse, sexual and emotional exploitation, financial exploitation, or neglect by welfare or people living with older people. In America, half a million reports are filed every year for elders exploited by individuals who are supposed to take care of them. Over a million of these cases go unreported. What are these kinds of abuses, and what precautions should you take if you suspect they are happening?
Types of Elderly Abuse
There are different types of violations that occur to the elderly, and if not controlled or reported, they may result in severe consequences such as stress, depression, or even death. Different states and different people undergo different types of abuse, as explained below:
1. Physical Abuse
These are physical harms done to an older person that result in bodily injuries, pain, or impairment. They comprise physical beating, hitting, shoving, and other inflictions, such as restraints, confinement, and inappropriately administering drugs to the elderly.
2. Emotional Abuse
Elder emotional abuse comes in different forms. These mistreatments cause psychological or emotional torture leading to stress or depression. Some of these abuses include threats or pain, humiliation, ridicule, blame, ignoring the elderly, isolating them from friends and family, and terrorizing them.
3. Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse to the elderly involves touching them sexually or inappropriately without their consent. It includes sexual intercourse, exposure to pornographic material, performing sexual acts in their presence, and forcing them to undress in public. All these are deemed elderly sexual abuses and can lead to mental torture if not addressed.
4. Elderly Neglect
When you fail to take care of the elderly and not attend to their needs, it becomes abuse. This type of damage makes up almost half of the reported cases in the United States, and many people do not take it as abuse. This type of injury can be intentional or unintentional depending on the situation, and it involves denying the elderly the right to be taken care of or to have company.
5. Financial Exploitation
When you use the elderly’s funds or properties without their consent or authorization, it automatically becomes financial abuse. It involves stealing their cash, using their credit cards, identity theft, or even forging their signature for monetary gain. When such happens, it automatically becomes an abuse that is punishable by law. Fake charities, investment fraud, and counterfeit prizes also fall into this group.
6. Healthcare Abuse
When an elderly visits a hospital or medical center for care and does not receive the required medication, it becomes an abuse. This type of injury gets caused by doctors, nurses, and other professional care providers. It involves failing to provide the required medical support even after charging it, overcharging for medical aid, providing wrong medication, fraudulent remedies, among others.
How to Prevent and Report Elder Abuse
Elderly abuse is prevented in many ways. It involves preventing the signs and types explained above and ensuring that they do not happen. If you are not in the position of preventing such, you can seek professional help from nursing homes or renowned caretakers who will take care of the elderly.
What if These Incidents Have Occurred Already?
If any abuse has occurred, you need to report it to the relevant authorities. If it is an emergency, dial 911 and notify them immediately. If you are an older person experiencing abuse, you need to seek services from a friend, personal doctor, or family member you can trust. In most cases, a lawsuit is necessary. You need to get an elder abuse lawyer who will file the claim for you or on behalf of the person getting abused.
Elder abuse gets taken seriously after the Elder Justice Act of 2009 amendments got done. You can also contact Adult Protective Services, who will carry out the investigation concerning this abuse and follow up on the case. The local ombudsman can also be involved in cases involving nursing homes or senior homes.
If you suspect that an older adult is getting abused or tortured, you need to intervene as fast as possible to avoid harm or injuries. Do not let these issues go unresolved. The earlier they are taken care of, the better it will be for the affected, and it will stop any recurring abuses.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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