Elder Mistreatment Case Study This case study was concerning the health and safety of Mr. Edward McKay in his home. Mr. McKay is an 82 year old gentleman who after suffering two cerebral vascular accidents has been left with left sided hemiplegia and is unable to speak. He is bedridden with bilateral lower extremity contractures, incontinent, dysphasic and dysphagic. Mr. McKay’s physical condition alone would require total care on a 24 hour basis to assist with feeding, changing and turning him. He lives with his only daughter and son in law and has no other people who check on him or assist with care in his family.…
About one third of the elder population over the age of 65 falls each year [TPS+01]. The risk of an elderly falling increases with age, which also applies for people with neurodegenerative diseases, dementia, delirium, or psychotropic medication [HA10]. As a result, fall related injuries are the number one reason for emergency room visits, and it is also the leading cause of deaths among adults above the age of 65 [JS06].…
As a society, it is our duty to protect and care for those that cannot do so for themselves. We owe it to the older generation to protect them when they are at their weakest. So why do we see year after year a rise in incidents of senior abuse? Doesn’t this show that we as a society have failed at protecting them? The writers of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette acknowledge there is something “very wrong with a society that allows the weakest and most vulnerable members of its society to be preyed upon” (“Nursing Home Horrors: Abuse of the Vulnerable is Sickening,” 2017, para. 1).…
Pegasus professionals providing senior care in Thousand Oaks are aware of the kinds and signs of abuse. Most family caregivers do not intentionally abuse their elders. They lack training and become easily overwhelmed. They often don’t know…
Hi Nicole, First, it is sickening and devastating that nursing home abuse and neglect occurs. It is difficult to imagine the horrors that victims of nursing home abuse and neglect have experienced. Second, it is significant that you mentioned that nursing home residents, who are facing physically and mentally disabled, are more likely to suffer from abuse and mistreatment. It is beyond sickening that some nursing care workers would take advantage of some residents.…
Working with seniors in the case of abuse is challenging and demanding, and social workers need to use an anti-oppressive approach in order to address the issue and meet seniors’ needs. Additionally, social workers need to have a deep knowledge about risk factors, symptoms of neglect and elder abuse, in order to address the consequences and prevent them from reoccurrence (Donovan & Regehr, 2010). Elder abuse is a result of oppression based on age, which means that structural anti-oppression intervention surrounding aging is required in order to “confront and change social institutions, policies, laws, and economic and political systems that operate in a way that benefit the dominant group at the expense of subordinate groups” (Mullaly, 2007,…
Elder Abuse is divided into seven categories including: physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, self-neglect, and miscellaneous. (Tatara, T., & Kuzmekus, L. B., 1997) The most common form of EOL elder abuse is neglect. Research shows that 49% of all EOL elder abuse cases are a direct result of neglect, and 84% of these cases go unreported to Adult Protective Services (APS). (National center on elder abuse, 1998)…
A survey that was conducted from Ontario nurses showed that 42% observed an elderly person being abused in the last three years (Dong, Chen et al, 2013). Elder abuse in the facility can harm the facility itself, and also its victims, whether a staff member is abusing a senior or a senior is abusing another…
It is a situation of eat or do without. The elderly are the fastest growing part of the population in the United States. Due to this increase in the elderly population, it is anticipated that abuse will increase. Conclusion Elder abuse is a serious problem.…
From state to state are varying definitions, rules, and regulations for reporting elder abuse on both national and state levels. Mainly it is up to the general public, advocacy groups, and typically any person that wants to get involved to help voice the realities of elder abuse. In an effort to spread the realities of elder abuse it is important to educate and provide training opportunities for the public, and professionals that work with the elder population in an effort to minimize the risk for elder mistreatment. Elder abuse is rarely reported due to fear, protecting the abuser, social isolation, self-blame, denial, and inability to report (Arizona Attorney General,…
Doctors should be well aware of abuse of elderly, how to detect the abuse, as well as educate the elderly on the rights and wrongs while being treated in a nursing home or long-term care facility. If doctors explain the concepts of abuse to the elderly, then it is more likely they will speak out about it when possible. A journal article explains “we suggest that the physician present his or her concerns about abuse to the patient, educate the patient about elder abuse and the tendency for it to increase in frequency and severity” (Wang, Brisbin, Loo & Straus, 2015). The doctor taking this step will help the elder understand that what is being done is wrong. It is also said that residence of homes should, if not already, be having very frequent doctor examinations to detect any signs of abuse from a staff member of the…
For the caregivers who have had to be removed from a home, because they are suspected of abuse should be put on probation with the company they work for, meaning if they are found guilty they will be removed from the company and have it put on their work record that they were released for abuse of the elderly, and the law. These caregivers should also have to work community service, approximately 10 hours for every offense that they are found guilty for. Multiple offenses could include they refused to give the patient their medicine on time, they don’t clean the patient (meaning feces and other bodily waste was left on the patient if that patient has to have help using the restroom etc.) , they do not feed the patient/ they keep necessities for life away from the patient and do not allow them to have food or water. This would result in 30 hours of community service, and if found guilty would terminate their job and could land them in jail time for a month or two depending on the severity of the elders health, due to not being cared for…
There are many individuals who are most at risk of abuse this is because they are mostly likely the ones who are vulnerable and usually require the help of care workers or family members. Elderly are one of the most frequently abused against group due to them being vulnerable and not being able to do anything and walk away from anything that is directed towards them. Some individuals are naïve to think that abuse towards the elderly would never be inflicted on them by family however it is not uncommon for them to be abused i.e., financially or physically by their family i.e. children. As adults grow older they may become more physically frail, may lose their hearing or sight, and may develop chronic problems such as dementia. As a result,…
When one suspects elder abuse, it is encouraged to report it. To go about reporting one could talk to the abuser’s boss, call law enforcement, call Adult Protection Services, or call elder abuse hotline. Manage the elderly person’s medication and check it daily. Be sure to spend as much time with them as you can to keep an eye out for any abuse that could possibly happen. Most importantly hire someone that the family trust to take care of their loved one, it is very important to be comfortable with who is watching the loved one.…
Abuse of elders can happen in many forms. It incorporates different types of mistreatment, such as, physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual mistreatment, neglect, and financial exploitation acts. We can describe physical elder abuse as a non-accidental use of force by the caregivers, family members, or friends, against an elderly person that causes physical pain, injury, or damage. Examples of this kind of abuse include physical attacks, hitting or shoving and force senior adults to use drugs.…