Bruises Can Be Just One Sign of Elder Abuse (NC. USA)

Bruises can be just one sign of elder abuse

by Eren Tataragasi

October 20, 2009

Most people are aware of child abuse and domestic abuse between partners, however there’s another kind of abuse that is worth paying attention to. 

Elder abuse — the abuse of senior citizens. It happens in nursing homes, in the home of the senior’s children or at the hand of a trusted caretaker and there are signs to look for that you could miss if you’re not looking close enough.

A new study was released this year by the National Institute of Justice regarding bruises. People are more prone to falls as they age because their bodies are more fragile and their balance may be off for a variety of reasons, but because it’s so easy to blame an injury on a fall,. This study looks at accidental bruising and how to determine a case of abuse.

The main point of the study is to stress that accidental bruising does not happen on the face, neck, torso or back. Accidental bruises are typically found on the legs and arms and usually no one can remember how they got there. 

But one sure sign of abuse is if a person has a story for the bruise, the story could be a lie, but someone with an intentional bruise will always have a reason for it being there. 

Another good indicator of abuse is if the bruise is larger than two inches. 

The new study also said it’s no longer safe to judge a bruise by it’s color because it has been discovered that the color of a bruise does not in fact indicate when the bruise happened. 

Rockingham Police Chief Robert Voorhees, whose Criminal Investigations Unit handles cases of elder abuse, said it’s not a prominent issue in Rockingham.

“Every case is unique,” Voorhees said. “Something as simple as a bruise might be a sign of abuse, but it could also have happened while someone was being moved from a hospital bed. But typically signs include bruises, lacerations, broken bones, dehydration, malnourishment — all may indicate abuse especially if they’re being taken care of in a private home.”

Abridged

SOURCE:    Your Daily Journal, NC, USA

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