Perpetrators of Elder Abuse Are Usually Family Members

Elderly people need trustworthy family or individuals to help them as they age. As people grow older they need guidance either physically or psychologically, which makes them dependent upon caregivers or family members. This dependence makes them especially vulnerable for abuse.

It’s hard for an older person to complain about someone taking advantage of them when that person is taking care of them by providing meals, transportation and making financial decisions. The threat of cutting off support to the elderly person from the child or caregiver is enough to keep them quiet about theft, physical abuse or neglect. Threats of violence may also be used against them.

Nearly a tenth of the elderly population is estimated to be abused, however; only 10% of it is ever reported. Abuse in nursing homes has more attention towards it but most elder abuse comes from family members. Most states have laws to protect the elderly from this abuse.

Here are some of the ways the elderly could be abused:

·       Sexual abuse

·       Physical abuse

·       Emotional abuse

·       Financial abuse, stealing money or changing title on assets

·       Active neglect where a caregiver actively fails to fulfill care-taking functions, such as abandoning, depriving them of food, water, heat, hygiene, eyeglasses, dentures, or other health related services

·       Passively neglecting by not willful failure of care-taking responsibilities, such as ignorance of care giving knowledge, infirmity, or disputing the value of services.

·       Self-neglecting by the individual not able to care for themselves.

Every state has an agency to receive a complaint about abuse. Failure to report elder abuse, in certain states, is a crime. To contact an abuse complaint department, visit http://www.cdss.ca.gov/agedblinddisabled/PG1298.htm and call one of the various departments in your area.