Elder abuse is a huge problem because it puts those who are most vulnerable at even more risk of suffering greatly due to the abuse. While anyone is a potential victim of abuse, females are the majority of the victims. The abusers in these cases vary greatly. Sometimes, the person is the spouse or a family member. It is also possible that the person who is mistreating the elderly person might be a nursing home staff member or someone else who is paid to care for the senior citizen.
There are many different types of elder abuse that might occur. Physical abuse involves a bodily injury caused by things like being hit or pushed. Financial abuse means that a person is misusing the senior citizen’s assets, which can include coercing them to change an estate plan. Emotional abuse has to do with causing distress or anguish. Abandonment and sexual abuse are also possible.
In some cases, the abuse of senior citizens takes the form of neglect. This simply means failing to meet the person’s needs. This can be not getting them medical care or failing to provide adequate food or hydration. It can also mean not helping the person with self-care needs.
The implications of elder abuse are far-reaching. Not only does it rob these individuals of the possibility of being able to enjoy their golden years, but it also means that they might suffer financial and physical harm. This can be difficult for them to handle. In some cases, they won’t speak up because they feel they are a burden. It must be made clear that they aren’t a burden and that they do have options for taking action to stop the abuse and to attempt to recover damages from the situation.
