What is Elder Abuse?
Elder abuse is the exploitation or mistreatment of older individuals. It can include physical, mental, emotional, financial, or sexual abuse, along with neglect. Elder abuse can occur for numerous reasons, take many forms, and take place in a variety of settings.
According to the CDC, approximately 1 in every 10 people aged 60 and older who live at home experience some kind of abuse, mistreatment, or exploitation.
Elder abuse is extremely harmful to seniors’ physical and psychological health. It can also impact a senior’s financial situation, living arrangements, and social and familial ties.
Continue reading to learn about the different types of elder abuse, warning signs, and how to report suspected abuse.
Types of Elder Abuse
According to the National Institute on Aging (NIH), elder abuse can take many different forms:
- Physical abuse: When someone causes bodily harm to a senior, or uses enough physical force to cause pain or injury – even if the intention is to help the older adult. Physical abuse can include:
- Hitting, pushing, slapping, shoving, or other forms of physical violence
- Inappropriate restraining
- Inappropriate use of medications
- Physical punishments of any kind
- Emotional, psychological, or verbal abuse: Any type of coercive or threatening behavior that creates a power imbalance between the offender and the senior is considered psychological or emotional abuse, such as:
- Yelling
- Swearing
- Threatening
- Making insulting, hurtful, or degrading comments
- Isolating someone from close friends and family
- Neglect or abandonment: Occurs when the caregiver does not respond to the senior’s physical, emotional, social, or financial needs. This can be intentional or unintentional, but is still considered abuse. Neglect and abandonment can look like:
- Failing to provide food, water, clothing, or other necessities
- Not administering medications
- Withholding assistance with personal hygiene or activities of daily living
- Leaving the senior alone for extended periods of time without help
- Financial abuse: This involves the exploitation, stealing, or misuse of a senior’s financial assets or resources. Financial abuse can include:
- Forging checks
- Misusing a senior’s funds
- Embezzlement
- Stealing a senior’s Social Security or retirement benefits
- Withholding access to money, benefits, or financial information
- Using a senior’s credit cards or bank accounts without permission
- Changing a senior’s will, bank account, life insurance policy, or title to a house without permission
- Sexual abuse: Includes all unwanted sexual behavior toward or involving the senior.
Why Does Elder Abuse Happen?
There is no excuse for elder abuse, but there are some patterns related to caregivers who commit elder abuse. Someone may be more likely to commit elder abuse if they:
- Take care of a senior in poor physical or mental health
- Are financially or emotionally dependent on the senior
- Have limited access to senior care or caregiver support services
- Hold negative views toward caregiving or the senior
- Lack coping mechanisms or social support
- Are experiencing extreme stress, illness, job loss, or personal crises
- Suffer from mental illness or addiction
- Lack proper training or preparation for for caregiving responsibilities
- Were exposed to abuse during childhood
Where Does Elder Abuse Most Commonly Occur?
Elder abuse is a complex issue that can happen anywhere. However, according to the American Psychological Association, the most common place that elder abuse occurs is at home.
This is most likely the case because the majority of seniors live at home, or with a relative, rather than in a senior living setting. According to the National Council on Aging, family members commit nearly 6 out of 10 cases of elder abuse.
Unfortunately, elder abuse can also occur in residential settings like nursing homes. One risk factor of some residential settings is that they are understaffed, with caregivers being overworked as a result. These stressful working conditions can lead to frustration, exhaustion, rushed care, and burnout – which in turn can lead people to commit elder abuse intentionally or unintentionally.
What are the Warning Signs of Elder Abuse?
It is important to keep an eye out for warning signs that a senior is experiencing abuse. Some warning signs of elder abuse are as follows:
- Withdrawn, agitated, or violent behavior
- Signs of fear like rocking back and forth
- Unexplained pressure marks, bruises, burns, cuts, or scars
- Messy appearance lacking basic hygiene, adequate food and water, or clean clothing
- Lack of personal health care items like glasses, walker or cane, false teeth, hearing aids, medications
- Sunken eyes
- Unexplained weight loss
- Untreated bedsores
- Dismissive attitude about injuries
- Lack of interest in socializing
- Unexplained or uncharacteristic changes in behavior
- Unexplained bleeding
- Signs of insufficient care or unpaid bills
- Unusual ATM activity like large withdrawals from bank accounts
- Any suspicious patterns that arise
What to Do if You Suspect Elder Abuse
If you suspect a senior is experiencing abuse, intervention is crucial.
The first step to take when you suspect elder abuse is to speak to the senior alone, express your concerns, and offer to get them help.
As is the case with many abuse victims, the senior may deny any issues or suspicions due to fear, shame, or embarrassment. In this case, the next step is to report your concerns to an authority. For example, physicians have legal obligations to report suspected abuse. Other healthcare providers and clergy members can also be helpful resources.
There are many local, state, and national organizations that can help, too. The professionals will investigate the situation – do not feel like you need to provide evidence or proof of the abuse. Resources for reporting suspected abuse are as follows:
- Adult Protective Services: Protects vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The National Adult Protective Services Association provides phone numbers for programs in each state on the Adult Protective Services website or by phone, 202-370-6292.
- The National Center on Elder Abuse: Provides guidance on how to report abuse, where to get help, and state laws that deal with abuse and neglect. Visit the NCEA or call 855-500-3537 for more information.
- Long-Term Care Ombudsman: Advocates for people living in assisted living facilities, care homes, and nursing homes. They are trained to help resolve problems. Find a long-term care ombudsman in your state online or by calling 202-332-2275. For information on the long-term care ombudsman in Florida, click here.
- National Domestic Hotline: Toll-free service for reporting abuse. Call 1-800-799-7233 or visit the National Domestic Hotline website for live chatting options and other information.
- Institute on Aging’s Friendship Line: Toll-free service for people 60+ and adults living with disabilities. Call 888-670-1360 or visit the Institute on Aging’s Friendship Line website for more resources.
- Eldercare locator: Nationwide service sponsored by the U.S. Administration on Aging that helps seniors locate local resources available to them.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: Receives reports of suspected healthcare fraud. Visit their Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services website or call 1-877-808-2468.
- Area Agencies on Aging (AAA): For caregivers who feel they have been abusive or are in danger of abusing a senior in their care, one solution can be to find ways of taking a break and relieving the tension of having total responsibility for a senior. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging for resources that might help family caregivers find respite care and in-home help.
- If you think someone is in urgent danger, always call 911.
Ways to Help Prevent Elder Abuse
Elder abuse is a common problem, but there are ways to help prevent the issue.
Societal View of Elders
The first step toward preventing elder abuse is adopting the view as a society that no one – including seniors – should be subjected to violence, abuse, humiliation, or neglect. By placing more value on seniors in society and adopting the attitude that seniors deserve to be respected and treated well, we are working toward making elder abuse a thing of the past.
Education
Education is the cornerstone of preventing elder abuse. Since most elder abuse occurs in the home by family members or caregivers, it is important for the public to be educated and aware of these situations. We all must continue to spread awareness about this widespread problem, the risk factors for abuse, and warning signs to look for.
Social Involvement
Social contact and support are vital to seniors for many reasons, but they are also necessary for family members and caregivers. When people feel like they belong to a social circle, tensions are less likely to be unmanageable. Additionally, people in similar situations can support each other, share solutions, and help each other when possible. Not to mention, abuse is more likely to be spotted when more people are involved and around.
Respite Care
Respite care is an essential tool for reducing caregiver stress and thus preventing elder abuse. Every caregiver needs a break sometimes to relieve themselves of the worry and responsibility of caring for another person. That is where respite care comes in, whether it is for a few hours or a few days. Respite care is one of the best ways to make caregiving more sustainable for all parties involved.
The National Institute on Aging and other local organizations can provide you with local resources on finding and paying for respite care.
Senior Living Guidance
It is an unfortunate truth that some senior living communities have working conditions that present risk factors for elder abuse. For that reason, it is crucial to find a community that is reviewed, rated, licensed, and safe for the seniors in your life.
Florida Senior Consulting Advisors’ senior living experts help families every day to find the best assisted living, memory care, independent living, or home health care for their senior loved ones. We’ve helped thousands of families in Florida, and we are ready to help you get the care you deserve, too!
Visit our website SeniorConsultingAdvisor.com or call (800) 969-7176 for free guidance on the best, safest senior living options in your area.
