Seen and Unheard; Elder Abuse 

By Your Health Magazine Contributor

Your Health Magazine Contributor

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Seen and Unheard; Elder Abuse 

One of the most common questions asked of children today is, “What do you want to be when  you grow up?” The question alone illustrates what modern Society considers the most essential  part of your life. Infants and children are treasured for their sweetness and innocence. Young  adults and older individuals for their contribution to the workforce. So, where does that leave  Senior citizens? Today’s Society does not value those sixty or older as they did in the past. Now,  many older adults are either forgotten, abused, or neglected. 

The CDC reports that about 1 in 10 older adults living at home experience abuse, neglect, or exploitation.Older men have higher overall homicide rates than older women, while intimate-partner violence is one of several contexts in which homicides of older adults can occur. (CDC) Elder  neglect and abuse can take many forms, ranging from physical, emotional, mental, or financial  exploitation. Individuals who suffer from neglect or abuse are more likely to die prematurely due  to untreated or preventable health issues. 

Detecting elder abuse or neglect in nursing homes is not always easy to do, and in some cases, health issues  such as dementia can make it difficult to detect or convict those who harmed the elderly. The  signs of elder abuse or neglect are often subtle and less noticeable. Individuals often are hesitant  to report potential abuse because of the harm it could do to a facility’s reputation. 

Another reason it is challenging to detect is most of the time, the victim does not want to report it  either out of fear or because of relationship status with the offender. In addition, preventing or  detecting elder abuse is complicated by the separation between government agencies tasked with  monitoring the potential for elder abuse. 

Risk factors can be divided into three distinct categories: Individual, Social, and Relationship  risk factors. Risk factors are characteristics that contribute to the increased likelihood of abuse or  neglect. Individual factors include previous history of drug abuse, medical diagnoses, and level  of isolation. At the same time, social risk factors are more common in institutional settings due to  lack of funding, staffing, worker burnout, and limited visitation with family members. The final  risk factor is the direct result of past familial conflicts, lack of social support, and financial or  emotional dependence upon caregivers. 

Some protective factors that can prevent or reduce the likelihood of abuse include a high level of  emotional intelligence both on the part of the caregiver and the elderly patient. Robust social  network support in the form of family, friends, and peers prevents abuse by making it possible to  notice physical, emotional, or social changes in loved ones before it gets to the level of abuse or  neglect. Strong ties to the community enhance the number of individuals monitoring the patient  for potential changes. Each of these protective factors acts as a capable guardian in that it  discourages potential abusers from targeting older adults.