Elder Abuse

Many cases family members are the ones committing elder abuse, they think taking money from the elders is fine, what do they need it for? However, that’s not the case. The money does not belong to them; therefore they do not have the right to be touching that money, which is considered financial abuse.

What are the risk factors of elder financial exploitation? In a study conducted by the University of Virginia, there are four predominant types of elder maltreatment. This includes pure financial exploitation (PFE), physical abuse, neglect by others or self, and hybrid financial exploitation (HFE). PFE is elder financial exploitation without any other abuse cited. PFE is usually conducted by unknown individuals to the elderly victim, as in mortgage or home improvement scams. HFE is a combination of elder financial exploitation that includes neglect and/or abuse. HFE usually occurs when the victim is dependent on their caregiver who has power and authority over them. This study addressed the understudied societal problems of financial

Abuse of the elderly is a common issue, but the aging adults are protected by a federal law known as the “Elder Justice Act”. According to Hillier and Barrow (2011), between 3 percent and 6 percent of people over the age of 65 report being abused. However, elderly abuse is usually not reported, because the abuser is typically a family member. So, the abuse adult will not report the abuse because they are afraid of making the abuser angrier or being isolated (Hillier & Barrow, 2011, p. 328). According to the department of health and human services “The “Elder Justice Act” is the first comprehensive federal legislation to address elder abuse, was signed into law by President Obama in March, 2010 as part of the health care reform act.”

The root of the problem is how a lack of services causes older adults to be abused and neglected (Popejoy, 2008). As a result, calls to Adult Protective Services (APS) are occurring more frequently. The history of the research problem is how the majority of older patients that are discharged home or without home health care end up returning to the hospital for new medical problems, relapses, complications of treatment, adverse medication reactions and problems with caregivers or extended-care facilities (Marcantonio et al., 1999). Therefore, the background of the research problem was clearly described, since the scope and extent of previous studies were noted.

It is estimated that one in ten American over the age of 60 are victims of elder abuse each year. Elder abuse is a difficult subject; however, it is a subject that must be addressed. Thousands of senior citizens are being abused or neglected each day in this country. It is everyone’s responsibility to take acts to prevent elder abuse when possible.

Financial elder abuse has become an epidemic because it is a crime that lives in the shadows, and as long as it remains there, the list of victims is sure to grow. Approximately 12% of the cases reported to the National Center on Elder Abuse relate to finances, and the cost to the elderly and vulnerable victim averages $30,000. It is impossible to get accurate numbers on the radically underreported crime since the victims feels shame or are afraid of losing autonomy. Some estimates put the rate of reporting at just 1 in 44 cases of financial fraud.

Victims of financial exploitation often lack someone with whom they can discuss and monitor financial issues. They may have an emerging, unrecognized cognitive impairment; worry about a future loss of independence; and be overly trusting of a caregiver capable of theft, fraud and misuse of assets.

Elder abuse is a growing concern in today’s modern society and will continue to cause concern the future. It is best to be aware of the many forms of elder abuse, the hardest of these to detect is elder financial abuse, as it hardly leaves any trace. Those that take advantage are commonly known family members or caregivers. The lack of reporting is due to many different reasons that affect the elderly’s life and well

Elder abuse is of growing concern in today’s society; it is the single most unreported cause of abuse. The thesis of this paper is to describe elder abuse, look at why it is becoming such a problem and what is being done to correct it. According to World Health Organization it is estimated that 80 percent of elder abuse is unreported (Daly, Schmeidel & Jogerst, 2012). Elder abuse is a problem not only just in the health care setting but community wide. Patience and having the time to care for the elderly population is becoming more and more of a struggle in that nurses are being continuously bombarded with a larger patient load and a lack of help. In an article by Rosen (2014), it is stated that five

Everyday thousands of senior citizens and people with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia suffer from abuse by a caregiver. Most of the abuse is in the form of emotional or physical abuse, but there are also a number of different types of abuse including financial abuse. The abuse can either take place in a medical setting such as a nursing home or hospital, or it can also be done by the victim’s own family members. These senior citizens are mostly targeted due to the fact that they are mentally incapacitated; they do not have a very strong short term memory, and sometimes they do not have the ability to talk to another individual about how their caregiver has been abusing them.

Abuse is defined as the willful infliction of physical pain, injury, or mental anguish upon an older adult, or willful deprivation by a caretaker of services necessary for physical and mental health (Falk, Baigis, & Kopac, 2012). Elder mistreatment is unrecognized, hidden, underreported, and encompasses a broad range of abuse including self-neglect, financial exploitation, and emotional harm, all of which require a different type of intervention (Falk et al., 2012). Screening and assessment are necessary to determine whether an elderly person is being abused, exploited or neglected by someone or if he or she is unable to provide self-care (Falk et al., 2012). In March 2010, the Elder Justice Act (EJA) was passed as a part of the Affordable Care Act, which authorizes federal response to elder abuse through training, services, and demonstration programs (Dong, 2012). Part I of EJA calls for the formation of an Elder Justice Coordinating Council comprised of federal government representatives charged with the responsibility of administering programs for the promotion of elder justice (Falk et al., 2012). The Council is to provide recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on the issue of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of the elderly (Falk et al., 2012). Part II focuses on the authorization of programs aimed at enhancing long-term care (Falk et al.,

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,

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

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

Research has found elders that are referred to adult protective services agencies for abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or financial exploitation were found to have reduced survival over a 13 year period (preventing). The main thing to prevent elder abuse is to listening to senior and their caregivers, intervening when you suspect elder abuse, educating others about how to recognize and report elder abuse