What characteristics would lead a provider to suspect domestic violence, child abuse, or elder abuse is taking place within a family
Topic 5 DQ 2
What characteristics would lead a provider to suspect domestic violence, child abuse, or elder abuse is taking place within a family? Discuss your facility’s procedure for reporting these types of abuse.
Violence and abuse is described as any intentional physical, mental, or psychological harm inflicted on a vulnerable person. This includes punching, berating, screaming, and other types of intentional cruelty. Domestic violence also involves threats or mild verbal or physical attacks, and victims seek to comply with the abuser’s demands. Victims feel trapped, reliant, helpless, and powerless. They can experience depression as a result of being stuck in the abuser’s power and control loop. As a victim’s self-esteem deteriorates as a result of prolonged abuse, he or she will blame themselves for the violence and be unable to see a way out of the situation. Neglect is described as any deliberate or unintentional lack of concern for someone’s well-being, such as failing to meet a dependent’s basic needs. Child abuse, child neglect, dependent adult abuse, dependent adult neglect, and domestic violence are all examples of abuse and neglect
If a family member shows apparent signs of bruising, malnutrition, depression, extreme fear, extortion, or other similar factors, a mandatory leader can suspect violence or neglect. However, this list is little and not an exhaustive, and other elements which exist. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but mandatory reporters are expected to search for trends of concern and various indicators of problems; they are expected to ask questions if required and to report anything they believe, even if they are not 100 percent certain.
A instructor, for example, can suspect child abuse if a student is chronically underweight and seems desperate to eat all they can while at school. If a woman arrives at the emergency room with severe bruises and physical injuries that do not seem to match her reasons for the medical problems, a nurse may suspect domestic abuse. A mental health professional may suspect elder abuse if a senior citizen pays large sums of money to a single person or if a family member micromanages their finances.
A required reporter must be aware of the appropriate authority to which the alleged violence and neglect should be reported. In the case of child violence, each state has a department of child services (also known as social services) that should be contacted through the appropriate channels, such as hot lines. Domestic abuse should be reported to local law enforcement. Adult services agencies in each state deal with elder abuse and other forms of maltreatment of dependent adult.
References
Child abuse – reporting procedures. (2019). Better Health Channel. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/child-abuse-reporting-procedures
Elder abuse: Types, signs, and reporting. (2020, June 11). Find Assisted Living, Memory Care and Senior Living | A Place for Mom. https://www.aplaceformom.com/caregiver-resources/articles/elder-abuse
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