One of America’s most underreported crimes is elder abuse. Elder abuse victims are often unable to speak out for various reasons. These include fear or physical incapacity. Family members and loved ones must be alert to elder abuse signs and speak up. To better protect your loved one, learn the signs and symptoms of elder abuse.
What’s Physical Elder Abuse?
Elder abuse signs vary depending on the type of abuse the victim is experiencing. Some seniors and residents of nursing homes experience one type of abuse while others are subject to multiple forms. Physical elder abuse is any bodily harm done to a senior citizen, either intentionally or knowingly. This includes hitting or pushing senior citizens. These are the most common signs of elder abuse:
- Frequent, unexplained injuries
- Frequent visits to the emergency department
- Especially in dark places, bruising or welts
- Burn or bite marks
- Broken bones and other serious injuries
- Hip fractures and falls
- Brain and head injuries
- Unexplained weight loss
- Health decline overall
- Unexpected death
Ask the caregiver or nursing home if you are concerned that an elderly loved one has sustained an injury. Talk to your loved one’s doctor about the possible causes. If these stories are not consistent, it is possible that your loved one has been subject to physical abuse. Ask your loved one about how they are being treated and make sure to visit often to check for physical injuries.
Is an Elder a Victim to Psychological Abuse?
Psychological elder abusing refers specifically to the mental or emotional harm that an older adult suffers from because of an attacker’s threats, intimidation, threat, instilling fear, or verbally abusing them. Although psychological abuse is not physical, it can have a wide range of effects on victims. These are some of the signs and symptoms of psychological abuse:
- Anxiety or depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Other mental health conditions
- Fear of a caregiver or a person in particular
- Retire from your favorite people or activities
- Social isolation
- Low self-esteem
- Cognitive conditions such as dementia can be exacerbated.
- Poor hygiene or untidy appearance
- Suicidal thoughts and tendencies
To check how your loved one is feeling, talk to him or her often. Ask your loved one about the care they are receiving if you notice any changes in their moods, behavior, or personalities. Be ready to believe any loved one who accuses a caregiver of verbal or psychological abuse.
What is Elder Sexual Abuse?
Elder Sexual Abuse refers to the crime of having intimate relations with an older adult while they are in the care of the perpetrator, such as a staff member or resident at a nursing home. Sexual abuse can come in many forms, including inappropriate touching and kissing or rape. These signs may be seen in a victim of elder sexual abuse:
- Genital injuries
- Walking with pain or difficulty
- Undergarments or sheets stained or bloody
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Upper thighs bruising or welts
- Signs of PTSD include nightmares and other symptoms
- Anxiety or depression
- Resignation from loved ones and friends
- Feelings depressed or guilt
- Reluctance or inability to be with a caregiver
- Relationships with caregivers that are inappropriate
An increased chance of sexual abuse is possible for older adults with cognitive or physical disabilities. This crime can be committed either by caregivers or strangers, but it can also be traced back to victims’ friends and relatives.
Is an elder financially exploitable?
Elder financial abuse is when a perpetrator deceives or takes advantage of an older adult to gain financial gains. This can include simple or complex financial crimes. It could be anything from fraud on health insurance to tricks that trick an elderly into changing their will. Financial elder abuse can include fraud, scams and coercion as well as threats, intimidation, threats, or coercion. These are some of the signs that elder financial exploitation is most common:
- Unexpected withdrawals from bank accounts
- Transactions that are not accounted for or unusual
- Bank statements missing large amounts of money
- Home repairs and purchases that aren’t necessary
- Personal and financial assets that are missing
- Cash checks made out to check
- Gifts for caregivers that are large or costly
- Unexpected or sudden changes in wills and estate plans
- Financial records are not available to the elder.
It is easy to overlook elder financial abuse, even though it may not be affecting the victim’s emotional or physical health. It is crucial to monitor the finances of senior relatives and to delegate financial responsibility to trusted financial experts or family members. However, it is possible for a family member to commit elder financial abuse, especially if the elder is the caregiver or unemployed.
How can you identify elder neglect?
An older adult might also be subject to caregiver neglect. It is the inability to provide basic care for a senior, including shelter, food, water and medical care, as well as companionship. Elder neglect can either be accidental or intentional. Neglecting an elderly person for more than a few days or weeks can be considered neglect. Elder neglect can lead to serious consequences for victims, including the following signs:
- Low overall health, both physical and mental.
- Malnutrition or Dehydration
- Inadequacy in personal hygiene
- Adult diapers that have not been changed
- Unsanitary or dirty premises
- Living conditions that are unsafe or unacceptable
- Loss of hearing aids, eyeglasses and other medical devices
- The caregiver is not providing sufficient supervision
- Residents elopement in a nursing home
- Pressure ulcers or bedsores
- Infections and sepsis
- Wrongful death
Elder neglect can occur in a long-term care facility, hospice, or at home. You can check in on your loved one frequently to assess his or her care needs, environment and living conditions. Report to authorities immediately if a caregiver or nursing facility appears to be failing to provide reasonable care for your loved ones.
Summarized from an article by Rose, Klein & Marias Injury Lawyers.
