How to Identify and Report Elder Abuse
Signs of elder abuse are often ignored by medical experts and home care providers. However, noticing these signs are important because seniors may not be able to report elder abuse on their own. Calgary home care professionals discuss some of the most common signs of elder abuse and how to report them.
Signs of Elder Abuse
Elder abuse could be in the form of physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, caregiver neglect, domestic violence, or any other means to harm a senior citizen. Since each type of elder abuse is different, the signs and symptoms also vary.
Physical abuse results in pain. Seniors who experience this type of abuse may have scratches, bruises, broken bones, or brain trauma. In some cases, bodily exploitation indicates sexual abuse. These signs should be taken seriously.
Financial abuse tends to have lasting effects on seniors. Typical signs include missing checks, massive withdrawals from bank accounts, missing credit cards, excessive credit card bills, unpaid bills, or insufficient funds in the bank account.
The signs of psychological abuse among the elderly are difficult to identify. In most cases, these symptoms are dismissed as normal part of the cognitive decline. If a senior is too afraid of a particular family member or caregiver or he or she appears socially withdrawn, he or she may have been subjected to mental or psychological abuse.
Caregiver neglect is one of the most common types of elder abuse. It could range from refusing to assist seniors in daily tasks to neglecting their needs altogether. Some of the signs of caregiver neglect include piles of dirty laundry, poorly managed medications, dehydration, malnutrition, bedsores, and other symptoms that indicate a senior’s basic needs are not being met.
Reporting Elder Abuse
Elder Justice Act 2009 is considered to be the most significant law that combats elder abuse, caregiver neglect, and other forms of exploitation. Since the passing of this law, elder abuse is being taken seriously all across the country.
Nurses are required by law to report any signs of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Licensed nurses are held liable if they intentionally fail to report elder abuse. However, nurses are not the only ones burdened with this responsibility.
Any person responsible for the care of a senior citizen, including family caregiver, professional caregiver, or assisted living facility employee, should report elder abuse to the local authorities. Care providers should be on a lookout for signs of neglect and abuse and report at their earliest.
If you’re reporting elder abuse, you should be able to document the signs. Consider taking photographs of the injuries, taking notes of the changes in a senior’s behavior, writing descriptions of the senior’s living conditions, or getting a statement signed by him or her in the presence of witnesses.
Every state in the country has an ombudsman program that resolves complaints filed against long-term care facilities. If you believe your senior loved one is being abused at a facility, consider filing a complaint with the ombudsman program.
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