Effects Of Elder Abuse In Nursing Homes

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

Every elderly deserved the right to be treated with respect and protect from all type of abuse (American Psychological Association, 2006; Lee, 2007). Significant progress have been made in the past five years toward eliminating violence against older adults. However, the lack of knowledge and clinical skills in health care provider

There are have been many cases of nursing home and elder abuse nation wide and all around the world. One case that occurred in Baltimore, Maryland that involved a man who worked in a long term care facility and hit one of his residents.(Lee, 2013) This resident was an 84 year old man. This man was only caught

Too often seniors refuse to report abuse, neglect, or crime against them out of fear of losing independence. It is a common misconception that being victimized will deem you unfit to live independently and will result in being placed in a facility of some sort. It is important that seniors feel they can turn to those around them with concerns and incidents that occur. In the event that a senior is not forthcoming with information there are a number of avenues that may involve reporting of suspected incidents. Hospitals, doctors, community service organizations, and long term care facilities can report suspected crimes to authorities or Department of Social Services in an effort to protect the individual. If a senior cannot properly protect themselves then health care professionals from all areas should have the ability to act on behalf of the individual to seek help but not dictate the overall outcome as a result. For example: simply finding that a person has been a victim of exploitation should not mean that a person be moved immediately into a facility forfeiting their right to care for themselves. All facilities acting to protect a senior should aim to preserve senior

The Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse states that 10% of older adults are abused in some way; which is over 160,000 people in Ontario. Elderly abuse is categorized as the violence, mistreatment or neglect of an elderly person by caregivers, service providers, family, or even strangers (Canadian Government). A senior citizen can be abused physically, financially, psychologically, and rarely, sexually. The mistreatment is usually because of the influence a caregiver has over an older adult. The abuse on the elderly can happen in long term care facilities or in the home; it usually goes unnoticed and unreported (Elder Abuse and Neglect). The concern of abuse on the elderly population is a growing issue due to the increasing populace of older people and baby boomers; physical, financial, and emotional abuse are the most common forms. The problem needs to be taken more seriously, the types of abuse may vary, but regardless of the form, abuse among the elderly needs to end.

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.

As Americans live longer, it is no surprise that the population of older adults has increased; consequently so has the ubiquitous problem of elder abuse. In the United States elder abuse is an exceedingly, overlooked public health hazard; which covers a wide range of abuses. Approximately 2 million adults, over the age of 60 are abused or mistreated each year. ("Elder Justice: A John A. Hartford Foundation Change AGEnts Issue Brief", 2016) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has defined elder abuse as "an intentional act, or failure to act, by a caregiver or another person in a relationship involving an expectation of trust that causes or creates a risk of harm to an older adult, age 60 and older” (“Elder Abuse: Definitions”, 2016) Studies show a vast majority of health care professionals underestimate the occurrence of elder

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

According to the reading in this week’s content the reflecting incidents of abuse involving elderly residents in senior care homes are staggering and disheartening. This resident on resident abuse is hardly addressed, and state and government agencies have not provided much assistance in trying to prevent it from happening. In the case of the elderly man attacking an elderly woman the facility felt that increasing his meds would solve the issue of his erratic behavior. However, while increasing his medication this might be helpful with a thorough examination the proper response should have been to detain the attacker and call authorities to investigate the situation. The attacker must face the consequences for his actions and his behavior

The best solution for elderly abuse is prevention. Preventing abuse is one way to educate future residents and victims of elder abuse about how to deal with this situation. There are many prevention programs across the nation, but one in particular is known as The National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA). This association was established in the year 1988 to serve as information and materials on abuse and neglect for older persons in long-term care facilities. This committee’s purpose is to educate the public about neglect and abuse towards elders, to respond to the needs of victims, to support and inform the rights of an individual, to strengthen emotions to those who are victims, and of course to prevent any mistreatment before it occurs.

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,

The research was conducted in 2007, where the researcher sampled various departments at each facility at different times of the day. Questionnaires were given to about ten workers in each department. The respondents were asked whether they had performed or witnessed incidents of abuse in the past year. “The study indicated that 54% reported perpetrating one or more types of abuse against older patients in long-term facilities over the past year” (Factors that affect abuse).The study also found that the risk of physical neglect and total number of maltreatment incidents became higher as the ratio of staff and patients increased. The research determined that the acts do not involve personal motives or malicious intent, but come from institutional

A 2010 National ombudsman reporting system study revealed some alarming discoveries about elder abuse in nursing home facilities. Of all of the abuse reported, aside from patient on patient abuse, nursing home staff misconduct

Elder abuse has been prevalent in society for quite some time. Nevertheless, the issue has been withheld and under reported by society as a whole. In some cases people find it difficult to comprehend the severity of this issue except if he or she had faced it in his or her life. Elder abuse should be reported to a health care provider or other appropriate authorities if mistreatment of the elder is at all in question. In countless instances, individuals who are conscious to the abuse of elders may not report it to health care providers or the criminal justice system for numerous reasons (e.g. fear of retaliation). Also, elders are reluctant to report their own abuse in fear of losing their caregiver or getting themselves into legal disputes.

There are many different forms of elder abuse. In her study, Roberto (2016), points out that there are five major types of abuse that elders can experience, including: physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological and emotional abuse, financial abuse, and neglect and abandonment. Lachs and Pillemer (2015) support Roberto’s outline, but go into further detail by explaining the manifestations and assessments used to detect elder abuse. If a patient has abrasions, bruises, burns, fractures, and is experiencing depression or delirium, physical or sexual abuse is most likely present (Lachs & Pillemer, 2015). Signs of verbal abuse include intimidation, isolation, and anxiety, while financial abuse can be detected by the patients’ inability to pay for medicine or food, and unexplained worsening of once controlled medical problems (Lachs & Pillemer, 2015). In their study, Lachs and Pillemer (2015) also explain that neglect can be detected by signs of malnutrition, poor hygiene, dehydration, and bedsores. In another study focused on the mistreatment of elders in Ethiopia, Chane and Adamek (2015) conducted detailed, face-to-face