| As the general population of the United
| |
| | elderly patient, and insulting or
|
| States ages, the demands placed on our
| |
| | ignoring the patient.
|
| medical system to care for our elderly
| |
| | Signs of physical abuse are numerous and
|
| loved ones have grown considerably. At
| |
| | include bruises, broken bones, burns,
|
| the current time in this country, there
| |
| | unkempt appearance, scratches, broken
|
| are approximately 34 million people over
| |
| | eyeglasses, torn clothing, etc.
|
| the age of 65, and nearly one in twenty
| |
| | Financial Exploitation
|
| of those elderly Americans will
| |
| | Financial exploitation is the most common
|
| eventually require some form of assisted
| |
| | type of abuse found in older adults and
|
| living.
| |
| | is defined as the illegal or improper use
|
| Nursing home negligence and abuse as the
| |
| | of an elder's funds, property or assets.
|
| cause of personal injury and wrongful
| |
| | Checks may be cashed that belong to the
|
| death among senior citizens has become a
| |
| | elder adult, signatures may be forged,
|
| growing concern to those elderly
| |
| | and possessions may be stolen.
|
| Americans and their families who are
| |
| | Signs of financial exploitation:
|
| dependent on extended health care
| |
| | · Sudden changes in financial situation
|
| institutions for their care.
| |
| | · Additional names found on the elder's
|
| Because these numbers are so high, our
| |
| | accounts
|
| senior citizens are much too frequently
| |
| | · Unauthorized withdrawals of money
|
| becoming the victims of intentional abuse
| |
| | · Disappearance of possessions
|
| and neglect in our nursing homes and
| |
| | · Unexplained transfers of funds
|
| assisted living facilities, especially
| |
| | · Evidence of forged signatures
|
| when those places are understaffed or
| |
| | Predatory individuals who seek out
|
| poorly staff with uncaring, untrained
| |
| | vulnerable seniors with the intent of
|
| healthcare professionals.
| |
| | exploiting them may:
|
| Many Types of Abuse
| |
| | · Profess to love the older person
|
| According to the National Center on Elder
| |
| | ("sweetheart scams")
|
| Abuse (NCEA), elder abuse is the term
| |
| | · Seek employment as personal care
|
| used to refer to any knowing, intentional
| |
| | attendants, counselors, etc. to gain
|
| or negligent act by a caregiver or any
| |
| | access
|
| other person that causes harm to a
| |
| | · Identify vulnerable persons by driving
|
| vulnerable adult.
| |
| | through neighborhoods (to find persons
|
| Abuse of an elderly person's finances is
| |
| | who are alone and isolated) or contact
|
| one of the most common forms of elder
| |
| | recently widowed persons they find
|
| abuse that is described in detail below;
| |
| | through newspaper death announcements
|
| however, there are many other kinds
| |
| | · Move from community to community to
|
| including physical abuse, sexual abuse,
| |
| | avoid being apprehended (transient
|
| emotional abuse, neglect and abandonment.
| |
| | criminals)
|
| General neglect of senior citizens is the
| |
| | Unscrupulous professionals or
|
| most prevalent type of abuse. Neglect is
| |
| | businesspersons or persons posing as such
|
| the result of a lack of interest in the
| |
| | may:
|
| well being of a senior citizen. While
| |
| | · Overcharge for services or products
|
| physical, sexual, and emotional abuse are
| |
| | · Use deceptive or unfair business
|
| usually intentional and purposeful,
| |
| | practices
|
| neglect may occur when a caregiver simply
| |
| | · Use their positions of trust or
|
| does not care about their elderly
| |
| | respect to gain compliance
|
| patient. Caregivers are being neglectful
| |
| | Who is at risk?
|
| when they fail to provide some necessary
| |
| | The following conditions or factors
|
| element for the resident's survival. Some
| |
| | increase an older person's risk of being
|
| egregious forms of neglect may be failure
| |
| | victimized:
|
| to provide food or water or failure to
| |
| | · Isolation
|
| pay the elderly person's utilities,
| |
| | · Loneliness
|
| depriving them of heat and electricity.
| |
| | · Recent losses
|
| Sadly, sexual abuse is not unheard of in
| |
| | · Physical or mental disabilities
|
| nursing and assisted living homes. Some
| |
| | · Lack of familiarity with financial
|
| of the most common forms of sexual abuse
| |
| | matters
|
| are vaginal and anal intercourse without
| |
| | · Have family members who are unemployed
|
| consent, forced nudity, and inappropriate
| |
| | and/or have substance abusers problems
|
| photography.
| |
| | If you suspect your loved one is being
|
| Mental abuse may not be as visible as
| |
| | neglected or abused in a nursing home or
|
| physical abuse or neglect but it can be
| |
| | elsewhere, you should document your
|
| just as debilitating. Mental abuse can
| |
| | observations and take immediate steps to
|
| include, but is not limited to, verbal
| |
| | secure your loved one's safety.
|
| harassment, intimidation, isolating the
| |
| |
|
