You can look for a range of physical symptoms that may indicate abuse is taking place. Malnutrition and/or dehydration Bedsores, pressure sores, pressure ulcers Unexplained weight loss Unseen but suspected physical injury such as painful reactions when touched
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But it's important to follow your intuition, take clues seriously, and make note of any troubling patterns you observe. Generally speaking, the signs of abuse or neglect in the elderly are associated with particular types of mistreatment. For example, consider the following warning signs.
Rights abuse: Some seniors are denied their basic legal rights. For example, in an institution like a nursing home, abuse of this nature can involve ignoring a vulnerable senior's requests for information or blocking his or her attempts at making official complaints.
As a result, countless older adults experience a poorer quality of life and worse health outcomes than they otherwise would. (For victims of elder abuse, the risk of death is estimated to be three times higher than for seniors who haven't been abused, according to the National Center on Elder Abuse .)
The LTCOP in your region may even operate a confidential nursing home abuse hotline. It's also a good idea to know your state's laws as they pertain to elder abuse. Explore the resources in your state so that you can learn your rights and know where to turn for help. How Can Elder Abuse Be Prevented?
Consider reporting elder abuse if you notice any of these warning signs:Bruising on the face or trunk, as most accidental elderly bruising occurs on limbs and extremities.Broken bones, sprains, or serious injury, especially without a reported fall.Signs of being restrained, like strap or rope marks.More items...•
The National Center on Elder Abuse distinguishes between seven different types of elder abuse. These include physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, financial/material exploitation, neglect, abandonment, and self-neglect. Physical abuse.
What Are the Warning Signs of Elder Abuse?Injuries such as bruises, cuts, or broken bones.Malnourishment or weight loss.Poor hygiene.Symptoms of anxiety, depression, or confusion.Unexplained transactions or loss of money.Withdrawal from family members or friends.
Giving away money, transferring assets to people, unusual spending behavior, checks being written to cash or the unexplained disappearance of cash or property are warning signs that something isn't right.
Passive neglect – the failure by a caregiver to provide a person with the necessities of life including, but not limited to, food, clothing, shelter, or medical care, because of failure to understand the person's needs, lack of awareness of services to help meet needs, or lack of capacity to care for the person.
Financial abuse appears to be the most common form of abuse experienced by elderly people, and this is the area where most empirical research is available. Psychological abuse appears slightly less common than financial abuse, and seems to frequently co-occur with financial abuse.
Signs of emotional (or psychological) abuse include: fear. depression or low mood. confusion....Emotional (or psychological) abusepressuring, bullying, belittling.name-calling.threatening to harm the person, other people or pets.refusing access to grandchildren.
Limiting a family member's access to money: Destroying, damaging or stealing property. Racking up debt on shared accounts or joint credit cards. Withholding financial support like child support payments. Refusing to work or contribute anything to the household income.
Signs of power of attorney elder abuse include: Strange or unexplained withdrawals from bank accounts. The person with power of attorney prevents the elder/others from seeing bank statements. The elder is isolated friends/family by the person with power of attorney.
Types of Elder Abuse. It can happen in different ways: Physical abuse is any action that causes injury or bodily harm. It can include hitting, shoving, kicking, or burning an older person, tying them to a bed or wheelchair, locking them in a room, or giving them drugs their doctor hasn't prescribed.
Here are some steps to consider taking:Talk to the older person. ... Gather more information or evidence as to what is occurring. ... Contact the older person's financial institution. ... Contact your local Adult Protective Services (APS) office. ... Contact law enforcement.
Possible Indicators of Financial and Material AbuseUnexplained withdrawals from the bank.Unusual activity in the bank accounts.Unpaid bills.Unexplained shortage of money.Reluctance on the part of the person with responsibility for the funds to provide basic food and clothes etc.Fraud.Theft.