Ways to Deal With Elder Abuse

Not everyone is equipped with the patience to be a nurse, yet many Americans find themselves caring for a senior at home. As a result, there are roughly 2 million cases of elder abuse each year that include emotional, physical, sexual and financial abuse, as well as neglect. Since 3/5 of the cases of domestic violence committed against seniors are from family members, it is important that you look into finding a senior care facility if you feel your stress levels and patience wearing thin.

Chances are you have already made the decision to put your mother or father into an institution that can best care for their later life needs. Perhaps you felt guilty about it, but deep down knew you couldn't handle the stress and time-consumption of being an at-home caregiver.

You want to be sure all of your parent's needs are being met and that he or she is happy, although seniors aren't always candid about being abused; perhaps out of fear, humiliation, ignorance of the signs, deep depression or the normalization of violence. Therefore, it's up to you to watch out for symptoms of abusive relationships within the nursing home.

While you are visiting your family member in the care facility, take a look around and be sure you know the people who are regularly caring for your loved one. Perpetrators of elder abuse may callously minimize the victim's complaints or sudden injuries. They may refer to the victim as "crazy," "clumsy" or "off their medication."

When you ask your loved one a question, the abusive caregiver may try to answer everything, speaking on behalf of the victim. They often forbid the victims from contacting family or friends and withhold gifts from being sent to their rooms. They might try to cover up the abuse by canceling medical appointments or taking the victim to different doctors. They may stalk, threaten or harass the victim, or they may act overly attentive or unnecessarily touch the victim often in your presence.

If you suspect a family friend is a victim of emotional, physical, financial or neglectful elder abuse, then you should call your local Adult Protective Services agency. Victims often suddenly "sign over the power of attorney" and have their homes sold for quick cash or have all their possessions given away while they are still in a care facility. Seniors may have bed sores, be malnourished or act withdrawn.

They may forget medication or miss their doctor's appointments. The abuser will try to speak for your friend and try to prevent you from speaking with him or her. Isolation is the leading factor contributing to abuse of the elderly, so play an active role in your friend's life and don't be afraid to call for help or advice.