When one thinks of abuse, you envision one person physically hurting another, like we hear all too often in domestic violence situations. Unfortunately, abuse comes in many forms: physical, financial, medical and emotional and all too often, the signs of abuse are overlooked or ignored. In general, we also tend to think of those abused in terms of “groups” – young or middle-aged Americans – however it has been reported that older women (67 percent) are far more likely than men (32 percent) to be victims of abuse and a little more than half (53 percent) of the abusers are female.
Elder abuse and neglect is a reality for far too many of our seniors today. It is our responsibility as a society to recognize the warning signs, to intervene and to help educate others about how to report and reduce the incidence of this crime.
When a family member or partner carries out elder abuse, it is considered a crime. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) www.nces.aoa.gov , “Elder abuse is intentional or negligent acts by a caregiver or ‘trusted’ individual that lead to, or may lead to, harm of a vulnerable elder.”
While some abuse is done by strangers and non-related caregivers, sometimes abuse problems are hidden and occur within the family, often by a victim’s own children. As an elder law attorney, I know how easy it is for elderly clients to be victims of physical and financial abuse. Nine out of ten times, the abuse is perpetrated by their caregivers, members of the victim’s family. Often, the elderly client is afraid to stop the abuse for fear that the child-caregiver, for example, will abandon them. At our law firm, our attorneys address the legal and non-legal issues. We spend alone time with our elderly clients and ask direct questions in an effort to help empower them.
The U.S. Census Bureau projects that by 2025, 62 million Americans will be 65 years of age or older. With the aging of the population, it is the responsibility of everyone to be aware of the signs of elder abuse and to become advocates.
Warning signs of elder abuse as provided by the Senior Umbrella Network™ include:
- Depression, Fear, Anxiety, Isolation
- Unexplained, Untreated Bruising
- Noticeable Change in Behavior
- Self-Neglect, Filthy Clothing and Bedding
- Dehydration / Malnourishment
- Under or Over Medication – Substance Abuse
- Physical Indicators of Sexual Abuse / Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Living Conditions Not Commensurate with Financial Situation
If you are being abused or suspect elder abuse, there are a number of organizations and resources available to you to get help. Please visit our website for more information –www.VJRussoLaw.com.
Together, we can help reduce the incidence of elder abuse by listening to our seniors and their caregivers, educate others on how to recognize and report elder abuse and intervene when you suspect elder abuse is taking place.
_______________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
No comments:
Post a Comment