NOTE: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIONS ARE FROM THE

CORRELATE+ADDITIONAL NOTES (please still refer from te !orrelate "otes#

$% Des!ri&e el'erl( )iole"!e*a&+se
$%,% Wat is el'erl( )iole"!e*a&+se
Elder abuse may be physical or psychological. Elder abuse may be committed by a
younger caregiver or household member upon an older friend or relation, or may occur
between two older people who live together. Elder abuse can occur even when there is
genuine love and affection between the people involved.
$%$ Wat are te forms of el'erl( )iole"!e*a&+se% Gi)e e-amples
Forms of elder abuse may be physical, emotional, financial or a combination of all three.
It is estimated that one out of every ten elders lives in a situation that may lead to Elder
Abuse
Abuse takes one of four forms "There is p(si!al a&+se, the battered grandma
syndrome, which includes blows, burns or even restraints, such as tying a patient to his
chair or gagging him."
There is also ps(!olo.i!al a&+se, which includes threatening, shaming or frightening an
elderly person. The threat of abandoning an older person or sending him to an old aged
home, can be a form of abuse. The third kind of abuse is material a&+se. This refers to
e!tortion, e!ploitation or deceit, for e!ample, cheating an old man out of his rights or
getting him to invest in bogus pro"ects. Finally, the fourth form of abuse is "e.le!t/ both
passive and active##forgetting to bathe or feed a dependent patient, administering the
wrong medicine and withholding heat in the winter if hes free$ing.
$%0 Wat are te !a+ses of el'erl( )iole"!e*a&+se
Elder Abuse can begin with seemingly normal conflicts and negative interactions that can
gradually build up to abusive situations. %sually, in a situation where abuse occurs, one
person is providing for the other in some way, while the other is reliant upon that person
for much or all of their care.
Elder Abuse may occur for a variety of reasons, but the most common contributing
factors are&
o 'tress created by the care needs of the elder
o Inade(uate financial resources
o Isolation and lack of emotional support for elders and their caregivers
o E!isting family problems and dynamics
Its important to remember that abuse can occur in any situation. The abuser may be a
relative, caregiver, spouse, a neighbor, or even a salesperson.
Additional notes&
'ometimes those who care for elders are not suited to the re(uirements of the "ob, and
they allow themselves to vent their impatience, frustration, and anger on the elder whom
they are supposed to be protecting and nurturing.
In nursing homes, in particular, staff may be prone to elder abuse because of&
Insufficient staffing
)ack of training
'tressful working conditions
'taff burnout
'ometimes neglect is not intentional* it may be the result of lack of ade(uate training
about how to care for the elderly or because staff members cannot monitor needy elders
in a timely manner.
Taking care of the elderly, whether at home or in an institution, can be very stressful. The
incidence of depression is very high among caregivers. +aregivers habitually lack
e!ercise and outdoor time, have inade(uate nutrition, and need more sleep. ,any people
with dementia have trouble sleeping, so caregivers are kept up caring for them.
+aregivers have a high level of an!iety. -ecause stress affects the heart and
cardiovascular system, the stresses of caregiving can even lead to death in the caregiver.
The amount of stress that the caregiver e!periences depends upon&
The elders type of disease or dementia
The progression of the elders re(uirements for care& at first, care may have been
mundane errands or financial management, but the needs may have progressed to
helping to eat, bathe, and toilet
.ow the caregiver perceives the responsibility of caring for the elder
/burdensome or not0
1hat the elder thinks about the caregiver
.ow the caregiver perceives the care recipient& if the caregiver finds the care
recipient to be ungrateful, the caregiver is more likely to feel stressed
.ow close the elder and caregiver were before and how close they are now
.ow the caregiver copes with stress, in general /resilience0
1hether others help with the caregiving
2iolence or aggression from the elder
+aregiver depression and living with the care recipient are predictors of caregiver elder
abuse.
2iolence from a care recipient toward the caregiver is strongly related to subse(uent
caregiver violence. A history of domestic violence in the household makes a senior more
likely to be included in the domestic violence.
Financial e!ploitation of the elderly is related to the lack of boundaries regarding using
another persons belongings and money. 'ometimes this lack of boundaries is criminal,
and sometimes it is simply a lack of ethical behavior. The e!ploiter gains because of the
vulnerability of the elder.
$%1 Wat are te si."s a"' s(mptoms of el'erl( )iole"!e*a&+se
'ymmetric in"uries on two sides of the body
%ne!plained bruises, pressure marks, black eyes, welts, lacerations, cuts, or burns
-one fractures or broken bones
'prains or dislocations
Internal in"uries or bleeding
-ite marks
-roken eyeglasses or frames
'igns of being restrained, such as rope marks
)aboratory findings of medication overdose
%nder#utili$ation of prescribed drugs
A sudden change in behavior
+aregivers refusal to allow visitors to see the elder alone
An elders report of being physically abused
Additional notes&
Some si."s a"' s(mptoms of emotio"al a&+se of te el'erl(
-eing upset or agitated
Apathy, withdrawal, depression, non#communication
'ucking, biting, or rocking /behaviors usually attributed to dementia0
+aregiver behaviors such as belittling, threats, or other powerful or controlling
behavior
An elders report of being verbally or emotionally mistreated
Some si."s a"' s(mptoms of el'er "e.le!t
3ehydration, malnutrition, e!treme hunger
%ntreated health or medical problems, such as bed sores
.a$ardous or unsafe living conditions /e.g., improper wiring, no heat, or no
running water0
%nsanitary and unclean living conditions /such as dirt, fleas, body lice, soiled
bedding, or fecal or urine smell0
%nsuitable clothing for the weather
-eing dirty or unbathed
%nusual weight loss
3esertion of the elder at a hospital, nursing facility, or other similar institution
3esertion of an elder at a shopping center or other public location
4hysical restraints
+hemical restraints /drugs used for behavior control0
+ontractures /muscles that are too stiff to move easily0
An elders report of being mistreated or abandoned
Some si."s a"' s(mptoms of el'erl( self2"e.le!t
3ehydration or malnutrition
4hysical weakness
Foul body odor, poor personal hygiene
Foul household odor
.uman or animal feces and urine in the house
,edical conditions left untreated
)ack of medical aids such as hearing aids, glasses, or dentures
.omelessness
Inade(uate, unsafe, or unclean housing /no running water, no heating, no
functioning toilet facilities, nonfunctional wiring, pest infestations0
Inade(uate clothing for the climate
Some si."s a"' s(mptoms of se-+al a&+se of te el'erl(
-ruises around the breasts or genitals
%ne!plained venereal disease or genital infections
%ne!plained vaginal or anal bleeding
Torn, stained, or bloody underclothing
An elders report of being se!ually assaulted
Some si."s a"' s(mptoms of fi"a"!ial or material e-ploitatio" of se"iors
)arge cash withdrawals from the elders bank account
The elders withdrawal of a large sum of money from the bank when accompanied
by another person
)arge checks written to unusual recipients
5ames being added to the seniors bank account signature card
6b"ects or money missing from the seniors household
1ithdrawals from investments in spite of penalties for early withdrawal
Abrupt changes in wills, trusts, contracts, the power of attorney, the durable
power of attorney, property titles, deeds, or mortgages
+hanges in beneficiaries on insurance policies or I7As
'udden changes in the elders financial situation
.ome or institutional care that is lacking, despite sufficient funds to cover the
care
%npaid bills, despite enough assets to cover the payments
Forged signatures
%nnecessary services, goods, or subscriptions
Financial activity that is inconsistent with the elders abilities, such as AT,
withdrawals when the elder never leaves the house
'udden appearance of friends or relatives claiming the right to goods or
inheritance
'udden close relationship with a much younger, more able person /including
marriage or domestic partnership0
E!treme interest in and participation in the elders financial matters on the part of
the caregiver
The caregiver has no other means of support besides caring for the elder
The elders sudden reluctance to discuss financial matters
Increasing tiredness or depression on the part of the elder
Increasing lack of contact with and interest in the outside world, reluctance to
accept visits or phone calls
The caregiver restricts the elders contact with the outside world, such as speaking
for the elder, refusing phone calls, preventing visits, reading mail for the elder,
handling all e!penditures, and not taking the elder on purchasing errands or other
outings
The elders admission of financial or material e!ploitation or suspected
e!ploitation
Some si."s a"' s(mptoms of ealt!are a&+se or fra+' of te el'erl(
3uplicate billings for a medical service or device
The count of pills left in a container is either under or over the e!pected amount
for the period of time for which they were prescribed
)ack of or inade(uate medical care, even though bills are being paid
In the elders living space, a huge number of remedies for various medical
conditions, including many non#prescription remedies
$%3 Ho4 4o+l' (o+ ma"a.e*!are a )i!tim of el'erl( a&+se
Additional notes&
Elders themselves are unlikely to be on the forefront of prevention of elder abuse. Elders
are most often silent in their suffering because they may be physically unable to speak
out and because society does not listen well. 6ne of the ironies of elder abuse is that
younger people may be too busy to listen or act. Elders in westerni$ed societies are often
pushed away from the hub of action and ignored.
4revention is especially important because the ma"ority of elder abuse cases go
unreported. 1e cannot even count how many elderly abuse cases we prevent by making
changes that stop abuse. Through prevention, we can make elders last years more
pleasant, and we can save elders lives.
8ey elements in the prevention of elder abuse are&
Educate
Enforce
Intervene
The public can help to prevent elder abuse by helping to educate seniors, professionals,
caregivers, and others about elder abuse. If you cannot directly help, you can volunteer or
donate money to the cause of educating people about elder abuse. Encourage law
enforcement agencies to prosecute elder abuse when they find it. ,ental health
professionals, social workers, nurses, and lawyers can step up interventions.
+aretakers can prevent abusing their elderly charges by doing the following&
'tay healthy and get medical care for yourself when necessary.
9et professional help for drug or alcohol abuse, which can lead to elder abuse.
'eek counseling for depression, which can lead to elder abuse.
,ake contact with domestic violence prevention services.
Find a support group for spouses, partners, or grown children caring for the
elderly.
Family members and friends who are not caregivers of the elder can help to prevent
abuse&
1atch for warning signs that might indicate elder abuse.
,ake sure that the elderly person is eating properly and taking re(uired
medications. A weakened elder cannot think clearly about the care being given.
'can bank accounts and credit card statements for unauthori$ed transactions, if
you can get access permission from the elder. 1atch for possible financial
e!ploitation.
+all and visit as fre(uently as you are able. 8eep the lines of communication open
so that the elder feels comfortable talking about abusive behaviors.
9ain trust so that the elder allows you more oversight in financial and caretaking
matters.
An elder can do the following to prevent elder abuse&
4lan for your own financial future with a trusted person or persons. ,ake sure
that your finances are in order& beneficiaries of insurance policies and I7As*
durable power of attorney* your will* a living will for healthcare instructions* any
trusts you wish to create* titles to your assets, and so on.
-e socially active and avoid social isolation, which can make you vulnerable to
elder abuse. 8eep in touch with family and friends.
If you are not happy with the care you are receiving from your family or from
another caregiver in your home, speak up. :ou have a right to your preferences.