Types and Prevalence of Elder Abuse
There are many different forms of elder abuse including physical abuse, psychological/emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, and neglect. Many studies have found that 10 percent of all people over the age of 65 experience some form of abuse. The rates in which this happens is usually higher in long-term care facilities, despite regulations aiming to address this issue. Patients who experience abuse have higher rates of hospitalization and mortality, so it is important to notice abuse occurring so it can be stopped. Many healthcare professionals are undertrained or ill-equipped to diagnose elder abuse.
Elder abuse is prevalent throughout the world, but only 1 in 14 cases of abuse are reported to the correct authorities. Elder abuse can lead to serious psychological and physical consequences for victims. Studies show that victims are three times more likely to be hospitalized compared to those not abused and victims of abuse also experience higher mortality rates. Elder abuse often goes unnoticed due to physicians and other health care providers not being able to detect it. Physicians are often untrained and underconfident in their ability to identify abuse.
There are multiple forms of elder abuse including physical abuse, psychological/emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, and neglect. Physical abuse is any intentional act that results in harm to a person. Psychological abuse can include verbal threats, harassment, intimidation, and isolation. Sexual abuse occurs when a victim is forced into a nonconsensual act or is incapable to consenting to such an action. This can include, but is not limited to, rape, forced nudity, and inappropriate touching. Financial abuse occurs when an abuser controls and misuses the victim’s financial accounts. This can include changing a will, stealing from bank accounts, and performing financial transactions not in the best interest of the victim. Finally, there is neglect, where a caretaker does not adequately fulfill their duties to take care of someone. This can include not assisting someone with their daily activities or not taking someone to a doctor’s appointment. It can also include not helping with personal hygiene maintenance.
Even with government efforts to stop elder abuse, it remains to be a major problem. The main types of abuse in nursing homes include physical abuse (29 percent), resident-to-resident abuse (22 percent), gross neglect (14 percent), financial abuse (7 percent), and sexual abuse (7 percent). A study found that 40 percent of staff asked admitted to committing at least one instance of psychological abuse over a 12-month period. Another study found that 50 percent of nursing home staff admitted to mistreating older patients, 17 percent of certified nursing assistants admitted to pushing, shoving, or grabbing a nursing home resident, 23 percent of certified nursing assistants reported swearing at residents, and 51 percent reported yelling at residents. These numbers were significantly higher when residents were asked about their own experiences. In a study of over 2,000 nursing home residents, 44 percent said they had been abused while 95 percent said that they had been neglected or seen someone else get neglected.
Elder abuse is a complex, multifaceted problem that stems from multiple underlying issues. Even with government intervention, abuse continues to remain a rampant issue in society with studies showing approximately 10 percent of people over the age of 65 experiencing some form of abuse. An important step in curbing abuse and neglect is educating people about the signs and symptoms of it.
Are you or a loved one suffering because of elder abuse? Contact us today to see if you could be entitled to compensation. Call 412-471-3980 or fill out our contact form and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
