Critique On Elder Abuse

The general assessment findings regarding the patient ranked the general assessment as very poor regarding clothing, hygiene, nutrition and/or dehydration, and poor findings regarding skin integrity. The general assessment showed that the patients clothing were not clean; saturated with urine and food stains. In regards to nutrition this ranked very poor as well, considering the patient has lost 10 pounds since her last hospitalization only two weeks ago. This weight loss also could be because of dehydration or nutritional imbalance; further labs will need to be completed to decide if weight loss was regarding nutrition, dehydration or both. Albumin levels will be assessed for nutritional status (Bharadwaj, 2016). Skin integrity ranked a poor on the scale. The diffused red abrasions noted in sacral area could be a stage 1 ulcer. (Advanced Tissue, April 2014). Being unkempt, soiled and dirty is large warning sign of neglect especially for elderly patients (HelpingGuide.org, 2017).

As a police officer it is expected that you will intervene in difficult situations. Personally, I draw upon my past experiences to provide individuals with an array of information to help them better understand their own experience they are living. One area of policing where I can’t do this is elder abuse. Lesson #5 of this Domestic Violence Course has introduced me to several theories that will help me better understand elder abuse as a type of domestic violence.

The issue of elder abuse and neglect is a significant health care issue, that need to be brought to the attention of society. Seniors who stay at home or in nursing homes are at more risk. Nurses should be aware of the signs and symptoms as well as resources in the community. By having a better understanding of these issues, nurses can recognize problems and help prevent the devastating effects of elderly abuse.

The Elder Justice Act was passed on March 23, 2010 as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) as the first piece of federal legislation to allow funds to address elder abuse, neglect and exploitation nationwide (Federal Laws, 2015). Part I of the Elder Abuse Act is the Elder Justice Coordinating Council made up of federal government representatives charged with the responsibility of coming up with programs for the promotion of elder justice. They have to provide recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on the issues of abuse, neglect and exploitation of the elderly. Then there are 27 professionals from the general public who are to give recommendations to the Coordinating Council as well. Part II of the Elder Justice Act talks about funding and enhancing long-term care. Long-term care is important because you need programs committed to training long-term staff,

This essay will examine elder abuse and its role in our society. The definition of elder abuse and the different types of elder abuse will be examined. Additionally, literature that highlight legislative changes to current elder abuse laws and the origins of those laws will be examined. The paper will also discuss national reports of elder abuse statistics and the current status of elder abuse. Finally, recommendations based upon the information researched will be provided as a guide for the future.

Elder abuse has a long standing history dating back before the 1960’s, “it is only in recent decades that elder abuse as a social policy issue has moved to the forefront of health care and social services in the United States” (Falk, Baigis, & Kopac, 2012). In March of 2010, as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; The Elder Justice Act, first introduced in 2003, was signed into law. The Elder Justice Act provides federal resources to “prevent, detect, treat, intervene in, and prosecute elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation and to protect elders with diminished capacity while maximizing their

Scheidet, R.A. (2003). Improving Student Achievement by Infusing a Web-Based Curriculum into Global History. Journal Of Research on Technology in Education. International Society for Technology in Education, 36(1), 77-94. Retrieved from: Ashford University Library

Each year there is an estimated 4 million elderly Americans that are victims of physical, psychological, or abused in other ways (Elder Abuse and Neglect: In Search of Solutions. (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2016, from http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/resources/guides/elder-abuse.aspx). There are some cases that get reported to the proper authorities and some cases that do not get reported at all. For the abused elderly people, their lives are put at risk and their health also declines. They feel helpless and lonely and have increased psychological distress and research has suggested that these victims die earlier than those who have not been abused (Elder Abuse and Neglect: In Search of Solutions. (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2016, from http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/resources/guides/elder-abuse.aspx).

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.

A nurse’s moral obligations are undoubtedly “to do good or to implement actions that benefit individuals and their support people.” (Kozier & Erb, p.95, 2017). The noble concept of beneficence requires that nurses must provide an adequate standard of care, whilst effectively working within the best interests of the patient. It is evident from the troubling abuse case of Corey Lucas that he has outright neglected the ethical principles necessary for a nurse to possess while practicing. The lack of beneficence within his care makes him ultimately unfit to practice, and this is best reflected in his violence towards Mr. Hausler.

I am intending on researching the rising epidemic of elder abuse and why and how it happens. I hypothesize that the subject generally is unheard of and goes unnoticed for many people. Since working and caring for the elderly is a part of the medical field, my primary audience would be health care professionals who work in elder facilities as well as family members who have taken on the role as care giver. These individuals should be interested in the topic because chances are they are passionate about their work or family member and would like to acquire knowledge on how to prevent or help life proceed to those that have been affected by the situation. The people who have the greatest opportunity and accessibility to help the victims of

The elderly population is faced with many challenges as they age. One of the challenges is elder abuse. Globally, elderly abuse is a major social problem that has worsened over time. Physical, sexual, emotional or psychological and financial abuses are some of the forms of abuse the elderly population are subject to. Has memory problems such as dementia, lack of support and physical disabilities are some causes or risk factors of elderly abuse. The consequences of such abuse going unresolved is have health issues, such as depressions, anxiety, stress, long term-psychological issues and even death. Moreover, “elderly abuse is often defined as a repeated or single act, or lack of appropriate action, that happens in any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes distress, injury, or suffering to an older person” (Kilvik et. al., 2015). The prevalence of Elder abuse is that of a world-wide issue caused by perpetrators, such as family members, friends, healthcare professionals, relatives and strangers. Interventions and prevention measures are put into place to help older adults suffering from the after math of abuse. As the elderly population grow, elder abuse increases. what are the different forms of elderly abuse? What are the various risk factors of elder abuse?

Elders in the United States should not have to go through situations of abuse like the one Mildred Mortenson suffered. However, this type of situations happen more often than they should and sadly, there is not enough being done to prevent it. Elder abuse should be recognized as an increasing and very serious problem in our society. As elders grow more physically frail and begin to depend on others to meet their basic needs, they tend to become vulnerable to intentional abuse and neglect within their own home as well as assisted living facilities such as nursing homes. Unfortunately, it is not possible to know exactly how many elders are being abused across the Nation. Due to under-reporting, variations in the definition of elder abuse,

Slow progress in research developments and the absence of a modern, established framework surrounding elder abuse forces professionals to rely on traditional theories which fail to fully explain happenings. The Situational Model, the most popular theory, suggests abuse is underpinned by stress and burden of tending to deficits. It is believed the hardship of caring reinforces negative feelings, like frustration and blame which, when overbearing, are off-loaded and directed towards the recipient of care (Lachs et al, 1997). However, a significant flaw is that no explanation accounts for those who successfully continue undertaking caring duties, despite substantial pressure (McDonald and Collins, 2000). Irrespective of the causation, a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach is needed as the intense and numerous ramifications of abuse and neglect impact at both personal and societal levels. For instance, there is a strong link between abuse and premature death of victims (APA, 2012). In comparison, the intergenerational cycle of abuse potentially reoccurs through children observing, normalising and copying abusive behaviour (WHO, no date).

There is an average of 293,066 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year. Also Elder abuse occurs in community settings, such as private homes, as well as institutional settings like nursing homes and other types of long term care facilities. 3.2 million Americans resided in nursing homes during 2008. There is numbers of reasons that evil people abuse a loved one or ill person. In society this type of behavior is not tolerate and people need to be aware of the problem.