Older Adult Abuse
Elder abuse is a general term used to describe harmful acts toward an elderly adult, such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, financial exploitation, and neglect, including self-neglect ("Elder Abuse," 2012). In America 5% to 10% of the elderly are victims of moderate to severe abuse, and 42% of the population over 65 was supported by care giving relatives said the National Center on Elder Abuse ("NCEA," 2017). Older adults who are being physically abused may present with anger, fear, anxiety, nervousness or depression. They may avoid eye contact, their eyes may dart or they may even startle easily or cringe. They also may exhibit sudden apathy, or withdrawal behavior. In some cases, the caretaker may refuse visitors or not allow the elder to be alone with visitors (Abramson, 2012). It is very important to …show more content…
Physical abuse of the elderly is defined as using some type of physical force on an elderly that can be expected to cause bodily harm, ongoing impairment, or physical pain. This may include striking the individual with the hands or an object. This also includes beating, shoving, pushing, biting, slapping, shaking, burning or kicking the victim. Physical abuse can also involve using drugs inappropriately, physical punishment, force-feeding the individual and using physical restraints ("Understanding Elder Abuse," 2017). Signs and symptoms of physical abuse are broken bones, lacerations, open wounds, sprains, welts, unexplained cuts, broken bones, skull fractures, internal injuries or bleeding, evidence of restraining devices, the elderly reports being slapped, hit, mistreated or kicked, and sudden changes in the elderly person’s personality or
Elder abuse is a general term used to describe harmful acts toward an elderly adult, such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, financial exploitation, and neglect, including self-neglect ("Elder Abuse," 2012). In America 5% to 10% of the elderly are victims of moderate to severe abuse, and 42% of the population over 65 was supported by care giving relatives said the National Center on Elder Abuse ("NCEA," 2017). Older adults who are being physically abused may present with anger, fear, anxiety, nervousness or depression. They may avoid eye contact, their eyes may dart or they may even startle easily or cringe. They also may exhibit sudden apathy, or withdrawal behavior. In some cases, the caretaker may refuse visitors or not allow the elder to be alone with visitors (Abramson, 2012). It is very important to …show more content…
Physical abuse of the elderly is defined as using some type of physical force on an elderly that can be expected to cause bodily harm, ongoing impairment, or physical pain. This may include striking the individual with the hands or an object. This also includes beating, shoving, pushing, biting, slapping, shaking, burning or kicking the victim. Physical abuse can also involve using drugs inappropriately, physical punishment, force-feeding the individual and using physical restraints ("Understanding Elder Abuse," 2017). Signs and symptoms of physical abuse are broken bones, lacerations, open wounds, sprains, welts, unexplained cuts, broken bones, skull fractures, internal injuries or bleeding, evidence of restraining devices, the elderly reports being slapped, hit, mistreated or kicked, and sudden changes in the elderly person’s personality or