Elder Abuse

While most people love and care for their elders, it is a sad truth that Elder Abuse is far too frequent in today's society.  Last Saturday was Elder Abuse Awareness day and in honor of it, I would like to bring up the common types of elder abuse.

Over half a million US citizens are victims to elder abuse each year, and abuse can come in many forms.  Abuse is not just physical, but can also be emotional or financial.  Physical abuse is easy to spot, like bruises, scared behavior.  Other forms of abuse can be much more difficult to identify.

Physical elder abuse – The non-accidental use of force against an elderly person that results in physical pain, injury, or impairment. Such abuse includes not only physical assaults such as hitting or shoving but the inappropriate use of drugs, restraints, or confinement.

Emotional elder abuse – The treatment of an older adult in ways that cause emotional or psychological pain or distress, including; Intimidation through yelling or threats, humiliation and ridicule, habitual blaming or scapegoating, ignoring the elderly person, isolating an elder from friends or activities, or terrorizing or menacing the elderly person.

Sexual elder abuse – Contact with an elderly person without their consent. Such contact can involve physical sex acts, but activities such as showing an elderly person pornographic material, forcing the person to watch sex acts, or forcing the elder to undress are also considered sexual elder abuse

Elder neglect – Failure to fulfill a caretaking obligation. This constitutes more than half of all reported cases of elder abuse. It can be intentional or unintentional, based on factors such as ignorance or denial that an elderly charge needs as much care as they do.

Financial exploitation – The unauthorized use of an elderly person’s funds or property, either by a caregiver or an outside scam artist. An unscrupulous caregiver might; misuse an elder’s personal accounts, steal money or household goods, forge the elder’s signature, engage in identity theft. Typical scams that target elders include; announcement of a “prize” that the elderly person has won but must pay money to claim, phony charities, investment fraud.

Healthcare fraud and abuse – Carried out by unethical doctors, nurses, hospital personnel, and other professional care providers. This can include; not providing healthcare but charging for it, overcharging or double-billing for medical care or services,getting kickbacks for referrals to other providers or for prescribing certain drugs, overmedicating or undermedicating, recommending fraudulent remedies for illnesses or other medical conditions, medicaid fraud.

If you suspect someone is a victim of elder abuse or are a victim of elder abuse yourself, seek help immediately.  Contact your doctor, a family member you can trust, a close friend, and contact an elder care hotline such as: 1-800-677-1116 for the Elder Care Locator.  Your safety is important, do not confront you or your loved one's abuser alone.