Statistics often hide a variety of inter-related facts in addition to the one or two results they were designed to reveal.
For example, we learned recently that unemployment had hit a worrisome 9 percent, signaling our economy was not, as yet, entering a recovery phase. One of the hidden side effects of the poor economy, with more families in financial distress, is that elder abuse is on the increase.
Loss of income has caused families who had lived separately to combine households. Younger members are taking extra, part-time employment to make ends meet, and seniors on fixed incomes cannot pay for essential services. The result is additional stress on all concerned.
People don’t like to talk about elder abuse. In fact, of federal dollars spent on domestic violence, 92 percent is allocated for child abuse, but aging and frail seniors are just as vulnerable as children, and often as unable to complain.
One of the most common forms of abuse is financial exploitation by family members who often rationalize their behavior by saying, “It’s family money, anyway,” or they earn what they take because they are acting as a caregiver. (Mrs. Brooke Astor’s son is now in a lengthy trial on charges of mismanaging his mother’s estate and conspiring with her attorney to have coerced her to change her will.)
Of course, not all abuse is of a financial origin, nor is all abuse always intentional. Sometimes caregivers are overwhelmed by the demands of an elderly parent, and there is often lack of emotional support from siblings who are not nearby. Even for well-meaning and loving caregivers, the level of care required may exceed their ability and their skills.
Demented individuals who exhibit disturbing behaviors pose excessive care-giving demands.
The word abuse covers a wide variety of behaviors, from actual physical violence of some kind to failure by a caregiver to satisfy the older adult’s basic needs or to protect the person from harm. Isolation or abandonment, inadequate living arrangements and constant berating can all occur even in a “protected” institutional setting, as well as at home.
Reported abuse in America is thought to affect approximately 450,000 people annually, but since only half of the cases are formally reported, the actual prevalence range may be more than 1 million.
If you suspect someone is a victim of abuse, you may anonymously call Elderly Protective Services at (888) 385-4225 statewide, or (203) 974-8027 locally, or the Domestic Violence Hotline, (203) 736-9944.
They will need the abused person’s name and house number, and they will, within five days, unless it is an emergency situation, make a professional call. They are trained to do this in a very low-key, courteous manner, and they will interview the elder person and the caregiver, separately, to determine if there is anything wrong.
If the elderly person is in a nursing home, you can seek help from the long-term care ombudsman.
The following may be signs of inadequate care or possible abuse:
- Physical injuries.
- Inappropriate clothing or clothing that is soiled.
- Poor hygiene.
- Deficient nutrition leading to loss of weight.
- Person has anxiety or fear of caregiver.
- Depression or withdrawal.
- Frequent requests for escalating medication.
- Repeated falls and hospital admissions.
- Inability of the senior to account for money or property.
- Loss of Social Security or pension checks.
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