Elder Abuse and Neglect
We are currently seeing the largest increase in the aging population in the history of the world, as the baby boomers, those born from 1945 to 1965, become senior citizens. By 2050, the over-65 population in the United States is projected to be 83.7 million, which is double the population of 43.1 million in 2012. The number of people 85 and over is projected to grow from 5.9 million in 2012 to 8.9 million in 2030, representing a significant population that has the potential to experience elder abuse.
As people age, the need for strong social supports increases. The elderly often need help for their daily routines. With the number of senior citizens increasing globally, the need for strong support and protection systems is also increasing in order to help prevent abuse and neglect of this vulnerable population. Image: Old but all with colors. Authored by: Capture Queen. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/94334030@N00/205726358. License: CC-BY 2.0
Elder abuse and neglect occurs when there is a lack of appropriate care of someone considered elderly when there is an expectation of trust and care (Administration on Aging, 2009). According to the Administration on Aging (2009) and Robinson, de Benedictis, and Segal (2012), elder abuse comes in the following forms:
• Physical abuse – inflicting physical pain or injury on a senior, including through physical restraints or drugging the person
• Sexual abuse – nonconsensual sexual contact of any kind • Neglect – failing to provide food, shelter, health care, or protection • Financial exploitation – the illegal taking, misuse, or concealment of funds, property, or assets of a senior • Healthcare fraud – overcharging or double billing for care, or not providing the care but having people pay for it, overmedicating or undermedicating, and recommending fraudulent remedies
• Emotional abuse – inflicting mental pain, anguish, or distress through verbal or nonverbal acts, such as humiliation, intimidation, and threats
• Abandonment – desertion by anyone who has assumed responsibility for care or custody of an elderly person
• Self-neglect – the failure of an elderly person to perform essential self-care tasks, which threatens his or her own health or safety
An abuser is typically a family member, such as a spouse, partner, adult child or their spouses or partners, grandchildren, or other extended family members. This leads elder abuse to be considered a type of domestic violence. Similar to child abuse, perpetrators can include a friend or neighbor, in-home help, and care providers in adult day care or in nursing homes. In some cases, elder abuse is a continuation of domestic abuse that has been occurring across their entire lifetime; in other cases, it is new abuse because the person has reached a period where they are more vulnerable. In some cases of self-neglect, the situation is one in which the person, or couple, is just no longer capable of caring for themselves or one another.
According to Robinson, de Benedictis, and Segal (2012), a number of signs indicate abuse is happening. Physical signs of elder abuse can include unexplained injuries, such as cuts and bruises (especially on the wrist and ankle areas that can be from restraints), unusual weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration, and bedsores. Emotional signs can include sudden withdrawal from normal activities, signs of depression or anxiety not associated with other issues occurring in their lives, lashing out, and fear around certain caregivers. Signs of neglect can include poor condition of their living space, such as bug infestations, soiled bedding and clothes, lack of self-care like bathing and grooming, and unsafe living conditions, such as no water or a lack of power. Some signs of financial exploitation include unpaid bills or services being stopped (turning off the power and water to the home), large and unexplained withdrawals from their bank accounts or credit cards, and missing cash. Of course, in order for abuse to be noticed or recognized, someone other than the abuser must notice these issues and be able to report them, which is why elder abuse is one of the most underreported types of abuse.