The Growing Trend Of Elder Abuse Essay

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.

As we age the incidence of illness and disability increases. This often leads to changes in living arrangements, and the ability to manage personal affairs is compromised. This means that many older adults turn the management of certain activities over to others, often opening the door to mistreatment or elder abuse (Eliopoulos 2010). Elder abuse may be defined as “A single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person or violates their human and civil rights” (HSE, 2002a, p25). Elder abuse is a significant social challenge in contemporary western society. There were 1,870 referrals of alleged abuse

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.

There are many broad and different definitions of elder abuse, and different forms and ways to deal with it. Elder abuse consists of “intentional or neglectful acts of a caregiver, family member, friend, or other individuals that lead to, or may lead to, harm of a senior citizen” (Elder Abuse Facts, 2016). One of the biggest problems we face when looking at this policy is that elder harm and abuse can happen practically anywhere. Elder abuse can happen in a private setting; in their own homes committed by their own family members (Help Guide, 2014, p.1). But it can also happen in a care center, with lots of people living in close proximity to them.

Elder mistreatment is unrecognized, hidden, and underreported. Studies showed that nurses among health professionals are largely unaware of the various forms of elder mistreatment that take place and of the proper course of action to pursue when mistreatment is suspected Falk, Baigis, and Kopac(2012). People should be aware of the many faces of elder maltreatment, and all health caregivers working with older adults need to recognize, treat, and prevent elder abuse and neglect (Daly, et al., 2012).

According to statistical researches by Dong (2015), many elderly adults are abused in their own homes, in their relatives’ homes, or even in institutional settings, especially long-term care facilities (pg.2014). Dong also finds two thirds of abusers to be the adult’s own children or spouses (2023). Family members may begin to actively resent the elderly person and the responsibilities of caring for him or her. In short, older adults are not even safe around the people who supposed to care and protect them. The thought of family members abusing their own loved ones is disturbing.

The aging population is at high risk of being taken advantage of and mistreated by a caregiver or family member. Elders are the most vulnerable group of people and are subject to elder abuse in their later years of life. The Administration of Aging refers to elder abuse as the knowing, intentional, or negligent act that causes harm or serious risk of harm to a vulnerable adult. Every year, hundreds of thousands of older adults are abused, neglected, and exploited. Unfortunately, a trusted caregiver or a loved one commits most of these heinous acts.

A current ethical issue is elder abuse. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2015) defines mistreatment of the elderly, as “any single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action, occurring in any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or discomfort to an older person.” A distinction of elder abuse compared to domestic violence, sexual assault or fraud is that “elder mistreatment implies that the recipient of the mistreatment is in a situation or condition in which the ability to protect oneself is limited in some way” (Touchy & Jett, 2012, p. 401). Elder abuse represents a serious social problem, which is only on the rise because of the longevity and increased dependence of some elders (Martins, Neto, Andradea, & Albuquerquea, 2014).

The mistreatment of elders goes unrecognized and unreported ever day. As nurses we are responsible for advocating for our patients. In order to do this we need to know what to look for, and how to take action. In this document I will discuss the types of elder abuse/mistreatment, how to identify the sometimes hidden signs, and how to properly take action against abuse.

“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.

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

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

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?