Theoretical Framework Of Elderly Abuse

With the thought of our grandparents, one commonly thinks how the end of their lives will be handled, and how they will be taken care of in the event that one cannot provide care. In most cases, this means placement into a nursing or elderly care facility, but with these come the deadly possibility of elder abuse. Statistics about elder abuse show: “30% of nursing homes in the US- 5,283 facilities- were cited for almost 9,000 instances of abuse over a two year period” (Ruppe) Most people do not even understand what elder abuse means. The seven main types of abuse include: physical abuse, emotional abuse, financial/material exploitation, neglect, sexual abuse, self-neglect, and abandonment (Sellas M.D).

Is it worth putting your loved ones in a nursing home facility? According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Each year, hundreds of thousands of adults over the age of 60 are abused, neglected, or financially exploited.” Family members of an elderly person might assume that because they are paying such a large amount of money for assistance and a room in the facility, that they’re getting the best treatment and care for their relative. Although one might believe their loved ones would be better off in a nursing home, they might be putting them at a greater risk of abuse due to understaffing, lack of training within the staff, neglect, nurse burnout, and low wages. 2,150,000 cases

One way elder abuse or elder mistreatment can be defined is, “intentional actions that cause harm or create a serious risk of harm, whether or not intended, to a vulnerable elder by a caregiver or other person who stands in a trust relationship to the elder” (Bonnie & Wallace). There are seven main forms of elder abuse which include emotional, physical, psychological, sexual, financial, neglect, abandonment, and self-neglect (Cohen, Levin, Gagin & Friedman, 2007; Fulmer, 2008; Thompson & Priest, 2005). Even though only 6.2% of victims are abused in long-term care settings, my experience of witnessing neglect and abandonment are very serious (Teaster et al., 2006).

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

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention standardly defines elder abuse as “any abuse and neglect of persons age 60 or older by a caregiver or another person in a relationship involving an expectation of trust” (CDC, Elder Abuse). It is always thought that the elderly are treated with honor, dignity and respect but many of the elderly have been abused and neglected as much if not worse than the children we spoke of in our previous discussions. Who seriously could hurt these frail people, someone’s grandparents, possibly even your own; persons who because of the aging process have lost their ability to fight back and are being bullied or attacked by someone in a position of trust. It is estimated that 70% to 90% of the perpetrators of elderly

Nursing home abuse takes place when nursing assistants, caregivers or employees in a nursing facility intentionally does something that can cause harm to adults who are weak and vulnerable. There are many different forms of nursing home abuse. There are mainly sociological and cultural issues, and most cases of elder abuse are usually caused by several factors. Some of these factors are: quality of the nursing home and its staff, the features and personal issues of family and nursing assistants and caregivers are also fundamental in deciding the essential causes of the abuse. Therefore, social-cultural forces determine how elderly people are cared for and treated by others. By understanding all these different causes that

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

Although it does not usually make news headlines and is rarely discussed, nursing home residents and the elderly experience abuse sometimes on a daily basis. Medical errors, physical abuse, or stealing from them could all be classified as abuse. All around the world today, a population that is not able to help itself is being harmed, whether it is physical or sexual abuse, exploitation, or not being properly supervised; the elderly and nursing home residents are being abused.

There are many types of abuse and neglect that are encountered in primary care. Many times, abuse and neglect are regarded as results of old age (i.e. bruises or abrasions from bumping into objects while walking secondary to unsteady gait or decreased vision). Elder abuse is often underestimated by care providers considering the definition differs widely among care providers and entities. This lack of definitional clarity can hamper the care provider’s ability to assess whether abuse or neglect truly exists which results in elder abuse often being unreported and undetected. Elder abuse and neglect can encompass many different areas to include physical, emotional, financial, sexual, psychological, medical, self-neglect and self-abuse (Falk, Baigis, Kopac, 2012, 2-3).

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.

Many occupational therapists work with elderly people. While various populations of individuals experience abuse, The National Institute on Aging recognizes six different types of abuse inflicted onto elderly people. The first type of abuse recognized is physical abuse, which is described as “bodily harm by hitting, pushing, or slapping”. While this type of abuse is important, it is certainly not the only kind. Emotional or psychological abuse involves verbally degrading, threatening, or yelling at a person, as well as ignoring them. Ignoring the individual could also fall under neglect, which is the next type of abuse listed. Neglect and abandonment go hand-in-hand, with abandonment being the more extreme version of the two. Neglect is ignoring an elderly person’s needs, while abandonment is described as leaving the person alone without planning for their care. The fifth kind of abuse is sexual abuse, in which a person is forced to watch or partake in sexual acts. The final kind of abuse is financial abuse, in which money or items are stolen from the elderly individual (“Elder Abuse”). These six types of abuse each have their own unique ways of affecting elderly individuals, but in the end they are all harmful at best and lethal at

There are a few problems facing the elderly; one problem that is facing the elderly is that there has not been much research done in regard to elder abuse; second, there are beginning to be more elders than specialized health care workers so elders are not getting the care that they need; third, the laws concerning elder abuse are vague and most elders do not know their rights and services that could help them and their family. Elder abuse began to be a recognized problem around the 1970s, but it is still behind child abuse and domestic violence by at least twenty to forty years.

Unfortunately, institutional elder abuse and neglect in this country is on the rise, and almost every day incidents of abuse and neglect are reported. According to Statistics, 10% of nursing home residents are abused, 90% of nursing homes are understaffed, 1 in 3 nursing homes have been cited for abuse, and only 1 in 5 incidents are actually reported. Abuse in a nursing home might occur because an elder is cared for in an institution that lacks proper resources. The staff may have little or no training, the institution may be understaffed, and the working conditions are

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,

This paper will focus on the grim reality of elder abuse. Elder abuse which is also called elder maltreatment, includes psychological, physical, sexual abuse, neglect by care giver or self-neglect, and financial exploitation (Dong, Advancing the field of elder abuse: future directions and policy implications., 2012). Unfortunately, it is uncertain how many people are suffering from elder abuse, but studies do suggest that female elders are abused at a higher rate than males (National center on elder abuse administration on aging, n.d.). Although the number is uncertain, there is still a great concern which needs to be addressed. However, studies do know that one in 10 older adults do experience some form of elder abuse (Dong, Advancing the field of elder abuse: future directions and policy implications., 2012). With the continued growing population of elders, elder abuse stands for immediate attention and is far more common than