Elder Abuse Research Paper

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

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.

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

Our society can do many things to help stop nursing home abuse. Anyone wanting to work in a nursing care facility should be a trained professional and require a background check. If there is a history of violence reported, that person should not be able to work and provide care for nursing home patients. Working with these patients, especially the elderly requires a lot of patience and only workers who are caring and have medical experience should be able to take care of them. In Massachusetts, the state senate approved a bill that would impose

My encounter with nurses and certified nursing assistance at a long-term care facility was one that I learned a lot from. The experience and training were great. I got to be in a setting of well-trained healthcare workers, all trying to help the sick or be there for those who couldn’t help themselves, in a sense. At this particular facility, the staff was discerning

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

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.

Elder abuse is a serious problem and almost 14.1 percent of noninstutionalized older adults in the United States have experience it in the past year (govtrack.us, 2016). The elder abuse is any kind of mistreatment that causes harm or loss to an older adults and it is not only limited to physical and psychological abuse, but also include sexual and financial abuse, and neglect (National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, 2008). In addition, the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (2008) mentioned that older adults as a result of abuse can lose their independence, homes, life savings, health, dignity, and security. Most importantly, the older adults who have been abused are 300% at higher risk of death than non-abused older adults (N National Center on Elder Abuse, 2016).

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.

“Evidence suggests that one in 10 older adults experiences some form of elder abuse, but only one in 25 cases is reported to social services agencies” (Dong, 2012, p. 2151). Elder mistreatment can occur in a variety of settings including domestic and assisted living. Elder abuse includes psychological, physical, and sexual abuse; neglect to include both caregiver and self-neglect; and financial exploitation. With the vast explosion of the aging population in today’s society elder abuse can no longer loom in the shadows.

Policy changes are needed in order to provide senior citizens with a safe, quality living environment free from abuse. Changes at federal, state, and local governments are needed to provide the best possible support and series to the aging population. With the significant increase of older Americans their likelihood of being taken advantage of and mistreated has risen a great amount. This vulnerable population does not deserve this kind of treatment. We need to be doing whatever it takes to provide these people with quality health care to ensure safety and good quality of life. This means increasing funding, continuing education for providers and other related professions, harsher punishments for violators, and strict laws requiring background checks and health assessments before being allowed to care for an elderly person.

Elder abuse is a growing problem that can be a challenge to address. Physical, emotional, and financial abuse is associated with increased mortality rates, especially in those that are alone. The National center on Elder Abuse (as cited in Hoover & Polson, 2014) defines elder abuse as “intentional or neglectful acts by a caregiver or ‘trusted’ individual that lead to or may lead to, harm of a vulnerable elder”. Mistreatment of older adults will incline as the number of adults that need caregivers increase. The elder adult that is the most susceptible to abuse is most likely frail, defenseless, and cognitively impaired. Amidst all other problems, the older adult has encountered at least one type of abuse in their later years. Many cases of older adult abuse are not reported and the abuse continues until mortality.

Should the U.S. Congress keep the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (2017) because it helps prevent elderly abuse and it affects elderly citizens’ resources effectively? Or should the act be amended by Congress to add other precautions and policies be added into the act to help further prevent elderly abuse and make it more efficient?

In general, elder abuse refers to any knowing, intentional or negligent act by a caregiver or any other person that causes harm or risk of harm to a vulnerable adult. All fifty states have laws of some form that prohibit elder abuse. Sadly, we do not know exactly how many elderly suffer from neglect and abuse. Although, statistics show female elders are abused at a higher rate than males. The elderly person may be hesitant to report the abuse because of lack of physical ability to report or fear or retaliation. Most of the time, the abusers are family members. Family members who use a lot drugs or alcohol, have a mental illness, and who feel burdened by their caregiving responsibilities are more likely to be abusive. About 5.1 million Americans over the age of 65 have

However, elder abuse is also common among the millions of elder Americans who reside in nursing homes. A study where 2,000 nursing home residents were interviewed, reported that 44% of the residents had been abused and 95% said they had been neglected or seen another resident neglected. They also state that 91% of nursing homes lack adequate staff to properly care for patients and 36% are known to have been in violation of elderly abuse laws (National Center on Elder Abuse). This information is extremely alarming. If these facts have already been uncovered, why is it that no one is doing anything to prevent this from happening to others?