...Elder Abuse According to the National Research Council (2003) elder abuse is deliberate actions that cause injury or generate serious risk of harm to a vulnerable older adult by a caregiver or other person who is in charge of the elder. In the United States, 700,000 to 1.2 million of senior are exposed to abuse and there are 450,000 new cases yearly (Bond and Butler, 2013,p.). In fact, elder abuse and neglect is a serious health care matter that must be taken in consideration by health care providers and older adult family members. Specifically the most vulnerable to abuse and neglect amongst this population are elder persons, who are socially isolated, cognitively impaired, or dependent on others for daily personal care. Moreover, older adult is primarily abused, neglected or exploited by caregiver, mostly spouses, adult, children or other family members. Also, Personal care...
Words: 567 - Pages: 3
...Elder Abuse One of the most recent social problems to impact people all around the world that many people are unaware of is the abuse of elders. Whether it’s by trusted friends and family members or mistreatment by a hired care taker, elders are not being given the same respect they were many years ago. Like most things this maltreatment has always been around, but in the last few decades it has shown its face much more often. According to Gibbs (2010), “In the past 30 years, awareness of elder abuse has been raised by a minority of professionals in healthcare, social services, law enforcement and public service” (p534). To help give a more adequate view of this issue, the definition of elder abuse and mistreatment, the effects on the elders themselves, what some of the causes are, and what is being done to help prevent and/or solve this problem will be covered in this essay. After reading and understanding this issue, from the causes and effects, to the possible solutions, spotting and doing something to help stop the problem may be much easier. Before knowing and understanding the effects of this blossoming issue one must be fully aware of what it actually is. Elder abuse is best defined by Laura Mosqueda (2010) as “The mistreatment or neglect of an older adult. The mistreatment/neglect may be intentional or unintentional, and may either harm the elder or put them at significant risk of harm” (p214). There is usually a specific group of people that commit the acts of...
Words: 2179 - Pages: 9
...Elder Abuse has become a major issue in our country today. Statistics are showing a high rate of abuse among the elderly population, with even more cases unreported. Unfortunately, elderly people are abused in our country on a daily basis. They are abused by their friends, relatives, and caregivers, either in their homes or assisted living facilities. It is quite difficult for people to understand how elderly people are being abused without knowing the cause, effects and solutions to the issue. The purpose of this paper is to help one understand what causes elder abuse, the effects it has, and possible solutions to the issue. This way we may completely understand and prevent it from happening. Elder Abuse can include physical or emotional abuse by the caregiver. The elderly are also exploited financially. Abuse may range from neglect, in which the caregiver does not provide adequate care related to ADL’s, to more severe forms such as physical/sexual abuse. Understanding what elder abuse entails is important. It will help to identify the issue and prevent the person from becoming another statistic; which will also help prevent abuse of elderly people in the future. It’s inevitable that we ourselves and our family members will all grow older. In understanding this, there are many decisions to be made. Among one of the most difficult and perhaps most important decisions is where the elder person will live and how long-term care needs will be met. When the elderly person in our...
Words: 2133 - Pages: 9
...According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, elder abuse is common is in community settings such as nursing homes. These numbers are part of many reasons why others do not receive the proper health care that is needed. Not only is it absurd for these statistics to be high, but it also is absurd for these two statistics to be within the healthcare profession. With the baby booming population being at an all-time high, many of them turn to long-term living facilities. Being that nurses are more hands on with patients in any facility, but more importantly, being more involved with older patients in LTCF (long-term care facilities), it is crucial that we examine the reasoning behind these numbers. This is a representation of the lack of passion, integrity, and proper education regarding the profession of nursing. With the exception of not having anyone else to care for them full time, residents have no choice in how much they may depend on a nurse. Due to things such as chronic illnesses, mental disorders, and psychological deformities, the residents of rehabilitation centers and long term care facilities instills trust with the nurses. The humility of the resident leaves their vulnerability levels to be heightened in the nursing and resident relationship. Vulnerability within the resident opens up room for all different types of abuse. This can range from sexual, psychological, emotion, and physical abuse. The most common type of abuse in the healthcare industry stems from...
Words: 1042 - Pages: 5
...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...
Words: 259 - Pages: 2
...Geriatric Victims AJS258 – Victimology and Crisis Management Page 1 Respect your elders is a saying that everyone has heard. Our grandparents, Aunts and Uncles tell us stories about how things were in their days and how much the elderly were upheld in their generation. With medical breakthroughs people are able to live longer and healthier lives. As people age they become more vulnerable to financial scams, physical, sexual and emotional abuse along with neglect. Recently there have been many programs created to help and assist the elderly. In Phoenix, Arizona, the Attorney General’s office has established a task force against senior abuse (TASA), which was announced on March 4th, 2011 (Arizona Attorney General, 2011). Debra Boehlke of the Attorney General’s office stated “we have victim services division for all kinds of victims, but from the task force of senior abuse what we are trying to do is help prosecute cases for victims (Boehlke, 2011). Elderly persons that have been wronged in some type of fashion can use the services provided by TASA to get restitution and, of course, punishment for the person who committed the crime (Boehlke, 201). Tom Horne, Attorney General for Arizona is committed to making elder abuse awareness, prevention and prosecution a priority (Arizona Attorney General, 2011). The Attorney General’s office is aware of the vulnerability of their citizens and is working to make sure older Arizonians are not victimized (Arizona Attorney General...
Words: 1125 - Pages: 5
...Elder abuse is not a new phenomenon. There is evidence of its existence centuries ago. More recent is recognition of elder abuse as a health and social problem. In the United States this first surfaced in the 1950s, but it was not until the 1980s that elder abuse “came of age” as a major concern of older Americans. However, elder abuse is not confined to a single locale. Rather, it is a global problem, found in both developed and developing countries (Antezberger, 2009). The purpose of this essay is to example the types of elder abuse, how to identify elder abuse, risk factors associated with elder abuse, reporting elder abuse and ethics associated with elder abuse in a healthcare role, specifically as a certified nurse assistant (CNA). Forms of Elder Abuse Unfortunately elder abuse can take many forms. The first form and obvious is physical abuse. Physical abuse is the use of force that causes unnecessary pain or injury, even if the reason is to help, can be regarded as abusive behavior. Physical abuse can include deliberate or inadvertent hitting, beating, pushing, kicking, pinching, burning, biting, overmedicating, under medicating, or force-feeding; improper use of physical or chemical restraints; and exposure to severe weather. Emotional or psychological abuse is a form of abuse or behaviors that causes an older adult to have fear, mental anguish or emotional pain or distress. This kind of abuse includes name-calling, intimidation, insults and threats which could lead to...
Words: 1606 - Pages: 7
...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...
Words: 2493 - Pages: 10
...Elder Abuse The fastest growing sector of our population is our seniors. It is estimated that in the next 15 years the number of seniors will double because of the aging of the baby boomer generation and the fact that we are simply living longer. As the numbers of our seniors increases so does the risk for elder abuse. Our society is scrambling to meet the needs of this new shift in the population and with it a subsequent awareness of elder abuse and neglect. Elder abuse can be defined as any abuse or neglect of older adults by a caregiver or another person in a relationship involving an expectation of trust (Center for Disease Control, 2014). Abuse can take many different forms and be interpreted in different ways but most authorities and agency recognize these as the most common forms of elder maltreatment. They are: Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Psychological or Emotional Abuse, Neglect, Abandonment, and Financial Abuse or Exploitation. Often someone will suffer from more than one of these types of abuses. A less commonly recognized form of abuse is Self-Neglect. “Self-neglect is characterized as the behavior of an elderly person that threatens his/her own health or safety. Self-neglect generally manifests itself in an older person as a refusal or failure to provide himself/herself with adequate food, water, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene, medication (when indicated), and safety precautions” (Department of Health and Human Services). Even with more awareness about...
Words: 552 - Pages: 3
...Elder Abuse Jaleesa Nieves 4/12/2014 Elder abuse is the most common type of abuse that gets looked over. People normally do not suspect or even think an elderly person may be getting abused, but this is a serious topic in nursing homes and hospitals. Tens of thousands of the elderly are being abused in the United States. More than half a million reports of abuse against the elderly reach authorities every year, and millions more cases go unreported. The reason is as these seniors become older they lose the ability to fight back when they are bullied or attacked. They are more physically frail and they may not see or hear as well as they used too. This leaves openings for their relatives, friends, or even their caregivers at care facilities, to take advantage of them. Elder abuse can take place anywhere. It most often takes place where the senior lives. The abusers are usually their family members, such as their adult children, grandchildren, or spouses of the senior. “People find it hard to understand why anyone would want to abuse an old person, but someone suffering some mental and physical frailty is the perfect victim: they can’t defend themselves, they can’t get away, and if they’re able to communicate they’re probably not believed. What more could any abuser want? It’s not about sex, it’s about power. There are even pages on paedophile websites encouraging men finding it hard to access children to gain employment at care homes. They...
Words: 638 - Pages: 3
...types of abuse and learning what the signs and symptoms are of what the older generation is experiencing, we can aid and make a positive difference in the lives of so many individuals. Strengthening our awareness and using the help and resources that are in place can aid in the defense of stopping elder abuse before it gets out of hand. Elderly people need to be educated and know their rights to stop the abuse. Caregivers whether they are related or work as medical professionals need to receive better education on how to care for the elderly. As people age they are less likely to be able to defend themselves against an abuser. Age brings on mental and physical challenges leaving openings for the elderly to have to rely on others to care for them. Unfortunately the abuse starts by overwhelmed family members or from uncaring or overworked professionals who are only there for a paycheck. Abuse can be recognized as; physical or sexual abuse, financial abuse, bullying and/or humiliation, isolation from family and friends, withholding food or medication, psychological abuse, discriminatory abuse and abusive mistreatment by an organization (Benedict, & Segal, 2008). Some indicators of physical abuse would be bruising, fractures, or possible burns. Another form of abuse would be from an emotional perspective. Noticing a change of how the older individual react, such as showing fear, depression or even their physical appearance like extreme weight loss. Physical elder abuse is not...
Words: 1067 - Pages: 5
...Elder Abuse 1. What is elder abuse? “Domestic elder abuse generally refers to any of the following types of mistreatment that are committed by someone with whom the elder has a special relationship (for example, a spouse, sibling, child, friend, or caregiver),” (Frequently asked questions, n.d.). “Institutional abuse generally refers to any of the following types of mistreatment occurring in residential facilities (such as a nursing home, assisted living facility, group home, board and care facility, foster home, etc.) and is usually perpetrated by someone with a legal or contractual obligation to provide some element of care or protection,” (Frequently asked questions, n.d.). 2. What are the recognized types of elder abuse? The following types of abuse are commonly accepted as the major categories of elder mistreatment: * Physical Abuse—Inflicting, or threatening to inflict, physical pain or injury on a vulnerable elder, or depriving them of a basic need. * Emotional Abuse—Inflicting mental pain, anguish, or distress on an elder person through verbal or nonverbal acts. * Sexual Abuse—Non-consensual sexual contact of any kind, coercing an elder to witness sexual behaviors. * Exploitation—Illegal taking, misuse, or concealment of funds, property, or assets of a vulnerable elder. * Neglect—Refusal or failure by those responsible to provide food, shelter, health care or protection for a vulnerable elder. * Abandonment—The desertion of a vulnerable...
Words: 754 - Pages: 4
...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...
Words: 1881 - Pages: 8
...Elder abuse is a type of abuse pushed upon a certain grouping of the population and in that regard can be compared to child abuse/couple violence. To fully comprehend and understand elder abuse, it demands in many ways its own sociological viewpoint, separate from the other types of abuse that specified parts of the population are subjected to. Some of the issues surrounding elder abuse that is reminiscent of the past studies of abuse, such as the difficulty in finding a universally accepted definition. Within the text it describes the lack of cohesion between agencies as the reason for the hold on new legislation protecting elders from this abuse. The definition provided by the American Psychological Association is as follows; “Elder abuse is the infliction of physical, emotional, or psychological harm on an older adult. Elder abuse can take the form of financial exploitation or intentional or unintentional neglect of an older adult by the caregiver” (Barnett, Miller-Perrin, Perrin 2011). This definition in comparison with other agencies is a little...
Words: 946 - Pages: 4
...Congressmen, Since the 1970s, elder abuse has been increasingly recognized as a problem around the world. As the numbers of individuals 60 and over have expanded in the United States, so have the incidences of elder abuse. However, the currency of this growing complication have remained hidden from public view. Although a few representatives have tried to pass laws concerning elder abuse in the 1980s, none were ever passed. It is imperative that all lawmakers, congressmen, and citizens become more aware of this situation, and the many issues surrounding this sensitive issue for some. It is essential that the incidence of abuse and awareness of the range and breadth of various types of abuse be discussed and understood....
Words: 865 - Pages: 4
