INTRODUCTION When you think of abuse you automatically begin to think of child abuse or domestic abuse but rarely is the first thought in your mind elder abuse. Often overlooked, elder abuse is a pressing issue surrounding nursing care for older adults. Unfortunately, many cases of elder abuse are not identified and sometimes they are identified much too late. Geriatric abuse can come in many forms which include physical, emotional, psychological, sexual, and even financial abuse. Nurses need to be able to identify when an elder is being abused, utilize screening tools to catch elder abuse when it is happening, react and implement the correct interventions when it is suspected or confirmed that an elder is being abused, and know how to …show more content…
IDENTIFICATION OF THE TOPIC We as nurses are at the frontline when providing patient care and when nurses get an elderly patient that they suspect is being abused they need to know what signs to look for and how to react. Elder abuse is defined as actions that are done intentionally to cause harm or produce a grave risk of harm (whether or not harm is intended) to a susceptible or vulnerable elder by a caregiver or other individual who stands in a trust relationship to the elder. The definition also includes failure by a caregiver to meet the elder’s basic needs or to shelter the elder from harm (NCEA, 2012, p.1). Unfortunately, since the age of our population is increasing so is the prevalence of elder abuse. Since this form of abuse is rarely screened for it can be difficult to detect. It is the nurse’s responsibility to implement tools that could help identify any underlying problems that are not immediately noticeable. Many times the nurse could be the last hope a patient could have. The patient might be too afraid to admit to maltreatment for fear of retaliation from the abuser. This is why nurses should assess for signs that the patient is in trouble. If the nurse can successfully recognize when an elder is being abused they can make a significant impact on the life of their patient. Sometimes a healthcare professional may have preconceived ideas about elderly clients and disregard what they may say to them. This is a form of ageism that
Elder abuse is the most common type of abuse that gets looked over. People normally do not suspect or even think an elderly person may be getting abused, but this is a serious topic in nursing homes and hospitals. Every health care professional needs to learn the warning signs and symptoms of elder abuse to prevent this from happening.
Elder abuse includes physical, emotional, and sexual abuse as well as neglect, exploitation and abandonment of our older generation (Falk, 2012). The people that cause these injuries include the elderly person’s own family and staff members of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, medical rehabilitation facilities and hospitals (NCOA, 2017). There is approximately 1 in 10 older adults that have experienced some type of elder abuse in the United States (NCOA, 2017). Within these staggering numbers, only 1
Over all, there are many types of abuse, from physical abuse to rough living conditions, that elderly and nursing home residents experience quite often.
The definition of patient abuse is the mistreatment or neglect of individuals who are under the care of a health care organization (Pozgar, 2013). In the United States, the vulnerable populations for this abuse are the elderly and children. Patient abuse is not only in an institutional setting, but also at home. The rise of elderly patients has increased in recent years due to the aging of the baby boomers. Currently, 13% of the population is over the age of 65 (NCEA, 2014). Many cases of elder abuse is caused by their own family (NCEA, 2014), this in turn reflects underreporting and insufficient data. The elderly also experience higher levels of physical and mental disability, which impair their abilities to report (CDC, 2014). Children are at high risk as well due to their vulnerability because of age and mental age (CDC, 2014). Health care workers are required by law to report suspected abuse (Pozgar, 2013). There is a strong ethical duty to acknowledge abuse of any patient. There are also legal ramifications compelling health care workers to be aware of suspected abuse. Each state has enacted laws to report abused patients as well as protect and at times penalize the reporter.
Abuse can happen to anyone, but elderly adults residing in nursing homes are more vulnerable and have a higher risk for abuse (Rasansky Law Firm, 2006, para. 1). Elders are among the fastest growing in the population, and because of this many more elderly
One way elder abuse or elder mistreatment can be defined is, “intentional actions that cause harm or create a serious risk of harm, whether or not intended, to a vulnerable elder by a caregiver or other person who stands in a trust relationship to the elder” (Bonnie & Wallace). There are seven main forms of elder abuse which include emotional, physical, psychological, sexual, financial, neglect, abandonment, and self-neglect (Cohen, Levin, Gagin & Friedman, 2007; Fulmer, 2008; Thompson & Priest, 2005). Even though only 6.2% of victims are abused in long-term care settings, my experience of witnessing neglect and abandonment are very serious (Teaster et al., 2006).
Elder mistreatment is a serious problem in America, yet it often overlooked. Elder abuse is defined as abuse in older adults that includes, but isn’t limited to physical, emotional, financial or sexual abuse. It is a single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm. It is often misunderstood and dismissed as just a family matter when in fact, that is the least common source of cruelty amongst the elders. According to the National council of aging, 1 in 10 Americans aged 60 and older have experienced some form of abuse. Some estimates range as high as 5 million elders who are reportedly abused yearly.
The cases of elder abuse or neglect reported is alarming. The association of morbidity and mortality is astonishing as more victims are being identified. Studies, including surveys and interviews, have been done to identify what group of elders are at higher risk for abuse. The occurrence rate is increasing with the elder women, as they are being controlled and threatened by their abuser. It is more than likely that more than one type of abuse is experienced by the elder adult. In a
Elderly abuse and neglect is a social problem that is often under-reported and under-detected. As many as one in four elderly persons have been a victim of some type of abuse or neglect. The elderly patient has three options when facing decisions on how to care for themselves during their later years: the person can live on their own and remain self-sufficient; the person can have a care giver, often some family member or paid personnel to assist them with daily living; or the person can reside in a personal care home where there is either part-time or full-time care provided. Abuse and/or neglect can occur in all three of these settings. As primary care providers, it is the nurse practitioner’s responsibility to not only recognize signs of
The issue of elder abuse is clearly an ethical concern. As a caregiver, the nurse has the responsibility to ensure that the environment of the patient is safe and supportive of health and wellness. In the case of an elderly patient who is too frail to engage in effective self-care, the demands upon the nurse increase as the nurse must
This scholarly journal looks at elderly abuse in general. It talks about different ways one can notice that the senior is being abused and what to do about the abuse. It also describes different reasons why the abusers abuse the elderly. It says how elderly abuse can be very difficult to notice and it is also difficult to help the seniors. The article then describes the difficulties that seniors have when they are abused. It talks a little about senior homes and how the elderly are treated by the nurses. It also gives some specific examples of abuse and the role of the government in this situation. This article is very opinionated and the author expresses her views on the topic very clearly.
To better understand the scope of the problem, it is crucial that society knows what is considered as elder abuse and why it is important to resolve this issue. Elder abuse refers to any intentional or negligent act by a caregiver or any other person that causes harm or a risk of harm to a vulnerable adult. There are many forms in which an elder can be abused, “Elder Abuse and Neglect” Journal of Psychosocial Nursing & Mental Health Services distinguishes between the five most common types of elder abuse as well as their effects and/or common signs and symptoms for each. These types of abuse include physical abuse,
Unfortunately, institutional elder abuse and neglect in this country is on the rise, and almost every day incidents of abuse and neglect are reported. According to Statistics, 10% of nursing home residents are abused, 90% of nursing homes are understaffed, 1 in 3 nursing homes have been cited for abuse, and only 1 in 5 incidents are actually reported. Abuse in a nursing home might occur because an elder is cared for in an institution that lacks proper resources. The staff may have little or no training, the institution may be understaffed, and the working conditions are
Elder Abuse is defined as any activity performed by an individual whereby these actions cause suffering of the older adult, intentionally or not (Touhy, Jett, Boscart & McCleary, 2012, p. 378). Unfortunately, the incidents of elder abuse continue to rise with the increasing number of people entering older adulthood. It is interesting to note that although elder abuse is highly under reported its occurrence increased three fold over a ten-year period (Friese & Collopy, 2010, p. 61). Certainly, it is a nurse’s duty to provide holistic care to his or her patients, which must include protection from abuse. Elder abuse can take on many forms including physical, emotional, sexual, neglect and financial. It is important to note that for the
Senior abuse should not be taken lightly. A lot of elderly people males and female’s aged 65 and older have encountered some manifestation of misuse whether it is physical, sexual, psychological, or neglect. As reported to the WHO, 36 % of nursing staff have witnessed a minimum of one incident of physical abuse to an elderly patient, 10% confessed to committing one act of corporal abuse, and 40% acknowledged they mentally abused patients (2002). These accounts of abusing the elderly are such traumatic issues that this causes more than just a problem for the elderly who are being victimized, but also their families.