Physical And Psychological Abuse Of The Elderly

Elder population is most vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment due to decline in their physical and mental health. They become victims of their own family members or other health care personals’ when they are in health care setting. Abusers are intentionally causing harm either physically or emotionally to an older individual who cannot help themselves. This mistreatment is not just limited to physical or emotional, but also include sexual, medical, financial, neglect and abandonment.
One of the easily noticeable abuse is physical abuse. It involves causing physical injury or harm to an elder individual by use of physical force by hitting, shoving, and use of restraints. Evidence of this abuse is clearly visible with bruises, scars, broken bones, sprains and dislocation. Another type of abuse is Sexual abuse where the abuser has sexual contact with an elder individual without their consent. According to Nursing home abuse guide, “Elderly women are six times more likely than men to be sexually abused. And Only 30% of victims of elder sexual abuse, report it to authorities” (Nursing home). This takes us toward emotional and psychological abuse which is hard to detect because evidence is not on the surface, but shows specific signs. Emotional and psychological abuse cause distress, and even pain to the individual by verbal and nonverbal cues. …show more content…
According to the national center on elder abuse two main signs of abuse are unexplained crying, unexplained fear of a specific person at home or in health care setting. In a health care setting, an employer needs to have strict rules when it comes to any type of abuse. Supervisors should randomly check with the nurse how they are doing their job and how they are treating the patients or residents. Because when nurses knows they are being checked by their supervisors they will do the right