...the historical development of an awareness of family violence in terms of the 1960s being the decade of sensitivity to child abuse, the 1970s to spouse abuse, and the 1980s to elder abuse (Kosberg, 1988). Elder abuse became a public issue in 1978 with testimony given to a congressional subcommittee on the abuse of elderly parents (Wolf, 1988). In 1988, the National Aging Resource Center on Elder Abuse (NARCEA) conducted several national surveys that revealed problems across states relative to the reporting of elder abuse. Although authorized in 1987 but not funded until 1990, the Elder Abuse Prevention Program was established under the Older Americans Act, enacted in 1975 (Goldstein, 1995). Greater awareness of this...
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...As human beings we age, but as a nation we are not focused on aging as a social problem. However, the older we get the more dependent we become on our younger generations to provide our basic needs. Elders in our family then become a burden, a stressor, an inconvenience to our daily life, and a financial responsibility. As a family and support system, you adapt to the ever changing situation or you work with health care institutions to offer support to your loved one that you can no longer deliver. In an ideal world, your elder would be in a place of comfort to live the rest of their life. However, institutions and caregivers do not always provide this ideal standard of care which in turn may lead to elder neglect and abuse. With many varying...
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...Bumps and bruises are a part of a person’s everyday life; but how do we determine accidental from intentional abuse. All registered hygienist in the state Kansas are required to be mandatory reporters if they suspect abuse is occurring. Failure to report suspected abuse can result in major consequences. When we think about abuse we often think of children first, but abuse has no age limit. Thousands of children, adults, and elderly people are victims of abuse and neglect each year. As health care professionals it is important to know some of the key behavioral attitudes and intraoral and extraoral signs to be aware of. There are several different categories of family maltreatment, which include: physical violence, physical neglect, sexual violence, and emotion abuse. Abuse, is the non-accidental physical, emotional, or sexual act. Neglect, is the intentional or unintentional failure to provide for a...
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...following: Identify the types and indicators of elder abuse or maltreatment to help in the immediate referral or planning of appropriate interventions. Elder abuse or maltreatment may come in a variety of forms. The recognition of the types and indicators of elder abuse by Senior Citizens Association’s officials, trained volunteers or social worker may help in the immediate reporting and...
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...Elderly Abuse is any form of loss to an older person. It is generally divided into the following categories : Physical abuse is physical force that results in bodily injury , pain or impairment, restraint. Elderly abuse also called elderly mistreatment senior abuse. It is also a single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action, occurring with any relationship where there is an expection of trust which cause harm or distress to an older person. Thus, it includes harms by people the older person knows or whom they have a relationship, such as a spouse, partner or family member, a friend or neighbor, or people that the older person relies on services. Many forms of elderly abuse are recognized as type of domestic violence or family violence. Several key factors emerge when examining the population of elderly victims of domestic violence. Often abuse of the elderly is compared to child abuse. Victims in this age group are almost invisible in the movement to aid battering victims. How will I play a part in reducing the instance of elderly abuse in my community and work place , once I am a certified nursing assistant by making sure that the facility provides a safe environment. Unexplained bruising including restraints marks, and sudden firing a staff member who may be the indicator that something unusual is happening...
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...Assignment 4, Part 1: Research Project Draft Submission Clarissa Ensley Instructor: Timothy P. Kelly CRJ 105: Crime & Criminal Behavior August 25, 2013 Elder abuse is a serious problem in this country and around the world. The National Center for Victims of Crime (2008) reports: “In the United States, there are presently about 39 million individuals over the age of 65; the U.S. Census Bureau projects that more than 62 million Americans will be 65 or older in 2025.” In a current report, the U. S. Census Bureau (2010) reports, “Between 2010 and 2050, the United States is projected to experience rapid growth in its older population. In 2050, the number of Americans aged 65 and older is projected to be 88.5 million, more than double its projected population of 40.2 million in 2010.” Harvey (2008) concurs, he advises that by the year 2030, persons over sixty-five will reach eighty-five million; eight million will be over the age of eighty-five. Harvey goes on to mention, “The minority elderly may face more serious problems than the white elderly because they are sometimes less able to advocate for themselves because of cultural, language, or education barriers.” This data suggests that as the population of elderly continues to grow, so will the possibility of incidents of abuse. In a domestic environment, abuse of the elderly comes at the hands of their caretakers; this is commonly a family member. Reports of elder abuse are often met with disbelief. People do not...
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...sources for use in research are authority, can the speaker be authenticated, and is he qualified to speak on the subject, accuracy, can the information be found in other credible sources, and currency is the information current or when was the last revision to the page? The topic is Elder Abuse, a blog, video, and podcast, have been evaluated pertaining to the subject to show the credibility and reliability of the sources. A blog is a website containing a writer’s or group of writers’ own experiences, observations, opinions, etc., and often having images and links to other websites (Oxford Dictionaries, 2015). The blog Elder Care and Technology is written by a group of writers’ in the Walton Law Firm. The blog explains in detail the impact of modern technology on Elder Abuse. The law firm based in San Diego, California specializes in court cases representing abused elders and their families. The Law firm can be authenticated and has been successful in prosecuting and retaining damages against nursing homes and personal care homes for years (Walton Law Firm, 2014). The blog does show some bias against people and organizations accused of elder abuse. The information in the blog is accurate and valid, because there are links to the law firm site that confirm the blog’s content. The information is current and applicable to the topic of Elder Abuse. A video is the recording, reproducing, or broadcasting of moving visual images (Oxford Dictionaries, 2015). The video Elder...
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...describes three main movements that changed public perception: the emergence of research on hysteria, the study of combat neurosis, and the awareness of domestic and sexual violence. She describes the public enlightening process, “The systematic study psychological trauma therefore depends on the support of a political movement” (citation). Each generation brings pressing issues into the public consciousness; however, without the political backing, many forms of trauma go unnoticed...
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...It can be stated that abuse can be conducted against the elderly when within the care of others. In this essay, I will be discussing the abuse, and the different types of mistreatment directed at the elderly in both care homes, and outside. I will be looking at what predicts elder abuse, the different types of abuse regarding some of the typologies made, the perpetrators involved, where it may occur, and the repercussions one may experience as an elder having been abused. Mistreatment can be defined as “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 persons who stands in a trust relationship to the elder” (Bonnie and Wallace, 2003, p.39.) The concept of ‘elder abuse’ is a moderately new idea although it has been occurring since the beginning of humanity, only having been focused on in Ireland since the 1980’s. Previously, it was primarily researched in the United States of America and the UK during the 1970’s. Nowadays there is more research done on elder abuse than ever before, as it is a growing topic of discussion, along with...
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...advantage of the elderly are their own family members. Elder abuse has a negative impact on the victimized elders worldwide. It is defined as intentional actions that cause harm or create a serious risk of harm (whether or not harm is intended) to a vulnerable elder by a caregiver or other person who stands in a trust relationship to the elder. This includes failure by a caregiver to satisfy the elder’s basic needs or to protect the elder from harm (Bonnie, R, & Wallace, R Eds., 2003). Although there is a lack of statistical information of elder abuse, there are sources that provide proof that elder abuse is a bigger issue than people perceive it to be. It can occur in many forms such as physical, emotional, financial and sexual abuse. In this paper, the question being investigated is “How knowledgeable are Barbadians on the effects of elder abuse?” The following literature reviews attempts to answer this question. Review of Findings: Each literature piece that has been reviewed pointed out that elder abuse is a major issue and is a topic that is given little recognition or response. According to Penny Bain and Charmaine Spencer, 2014, about 80% of abuse or neglect of older adults is hidden or goes undetected in Canada. Only about one in five cases of abuse come to the attention of community agencies or authorities. The article goes on to describe that it is such because in most cases the elders have grown accustom to the abuse resulting in the impression that it is a custom or...
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...Elder Abuse in Residential Care Facilities Elder abuse is a catch all term referring to any deliberate or negligent act by a care giver or any other individual that results in harm or a major risk of harm to a vulnerable adult over the age of 60 years (Stefanacci & Haimowitz, 2013, p. 68). Under the umbrella definition for elder abuse, more specific types of abuse can be identified such physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, exploitation, neglect and abandonment (Stefanacci & Haimowitz, 2013, p. 68). The physical abuse refers to the infliction, or threat to inflict, physical harm onto an elderly individual or the deprivation of their basic needs. Sexual abuse is defined as any form of nonconsensual sexual contact. Exploitation refers to the illegal misuse, theft, or concealment of an elderly individual’s funds, assets, or property. Neglect is the failure or refusal of a formal or informal caregiver to supply the vulnerable elder in their care with shelter, food, health care, or protection. Abandonment refers to the desertion of the vulnerable elder by either a legal custodian or anyone who has assumed responsibility for their care (Stefanacci & Haimowitz, 2013, p. 68). Residential care facilities (RCFs) have a multitude of different names across the Unites States but are most commonly referred to as assisted living facilities (ALFs), adult congregate living facilities, domiciliary care homes, and shelter care homes. Since the mid 1990’s, RCFs have made up one...
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...Crimes against the elderly in socially organized and disorganized communities Table of Contents Introduction 4 Defining Elderly Abuse 7 Traditional Societies 8 The length of the problem 9 Institutional Settings 9 Risk factor for Elder Abuse 10 Individual factors 10 Factors of Relationship 11 Factors of Community and Society 12 The result of elder abuse 14 Domestic Settings 14 Treatment in institutions 14 Preventing Elder Abuse 15 Feedback from national level 16 Responses from local people 18 Social Service 19 Health Care 20 Legal Proceeding 21 Campaign to generate public awareness 22 Recommendations 23 Greater Knowledge 23 Causes of the abuse 24 Impact of abuse 24 Evaluating the process 24 Stringent laws 24 Basic Rights for Elders 25 Traditions 25 Other preventive measures 26 Conclusion 27 Reference 28 Introduction The history of elderly abuse is not a very new phenomenon. It can be traced back from a very early age if we flip through the sociological status of yesteryear. However with the passage of time and further defining a goal to reform child abuse and domestic violence, the objective of elderly abuse has also been considered in the agenda. Unlike other form violence, the elderly violence has come into limelight with the progress of public health and criminal justice. The issue of these two forms has paved a way to view, analyse and curb the issue on violence towards senior citizens of a society. This paper...
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...is key. It is important for the prevention of elder abuse, for communities to be aware that the abuse of elders can and does occur. When individuals are uninformed, change will not ensue. As previously mentioned, despite the current programs available for intervention, many have not proved to be significantly effective. It would be best to conduct further research regarding the effectiveness of such programs. Research would allow for reform and a better understanding of what methods work and why. Similarly, it would be wise to use research to reform existing laws that are in place for the protection of elders from abuse. The legal system can be messy and enhancing the laws surrounding the abuse of elders is crucial when prosecuting cases in the future. In the case of individuals who are in a care-taking position, implementing educational programs for those who are new to this role in their family would be constructive. When elder family members seek medical services or financial services, having professionals who are aware of predictors and correlates of elder abuse would only have positive outcomes. The education of specific professionals concerning the abuse of elders can be the link between an elder individual getting help and prosecuting their abuser. If certain professionals are cognizant of elder abuse, they can put their own expertise to use but they can also contact special agencies that focus on the assistance of elder abuse...
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...partner abuse, as known as (IPV), is a problem amongst America that affects millions. The term intimate partner violence, describes physical, sexual, or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse. The abuse can occur among heterosexual or same-sex couples and does not necessary include sexual intimacy (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). There are many issues associated with intimate partner abuse and changes have occurred in recent times. The criminal justice system has made changes accordingly to protect the victim and ensure safety from the abuser. Elder abuse occurs to those who are older, vulnerable, frail, and cannot help themselves. Elder abusers can be men, women, family, or caretakers with no extent of harm they cause on the elder. Abuse is a problem that is present in today’s society among all race, genders, and ethnic groups. Special populations experience different types of victimization in society as well. The problem of abuse effects all individuals and many factors play a role in the abusers intent to harm. Intimate partner abuse is defined as any intentional act or series of acts that cause injury to the partner. The acts may consist of physical, emotional, or sexual (Wallace & Robinson, 2011). Intimate partner abuse occurs among all socioeconomic, religious, and cultural groups. Intimate partner violence is just as the term “family” it is ever-changing and dynamics differ. The issues associated with intimate partner abuse is first...
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...Elder Neglect and Abuse The latter years of a person's life have been called the "golden years" unfortunately the numbers of elders being abused are growing each year. Gray-Vickrey (2001) reports that neglect occurs in 49 percent of substantiated elder abuse cases, emotional abuse is found in 35 percent of cases, financial abuse is found in 30 percent of cases, and physical abuse or use of physical force is found in 25 percent of cases. The U.S. Department of Justice estimates more than half a million of our nation’s elders are mistreated each year, of course the numbers may be three times higher since few cases of abuse are reported or investigated (Axmaker, 2003). Experts estimate the number of older adults who are mistreated annually at more than two million (Swagerty, 1999, p.2804). A U.S. National Elder Abuse Incidence Study confirmed that reported elder abuse cases are only the "tip of the iceberg" (National Center on Elder Abuse, 2003). The study also shown that two-thirds of the offenders were adult children or spouses. Additionally, elders are being abused in nursing homes, hospitals, or other institutions; in one study, 36 percent of nursing home staff stated that they had witnessed at least one physical abuse incident with an elderly patient (Nelson, 2002). Clearly, elder mistreatment or abuse of the elderly is a growing social occurrence. Unfortunately, our elder population is considered to be easy targets because they are perceived to be fragile and defenseless...
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