Elder Abuse & Protection

Between middle age and old age cannot exactly be defined because it does not have the same meaning in all societies.  After all, in some societies your mid 30’s are considered old.  Nevertheless, as a rule of thumb, people can be considered old because of certain changes in their activities or social roles have changed.  For example, people may be considered old when they become grandparents, or when they begin to do less, or different work. 

According to Wikipedia, in the USA and the United Kingdom, the age of 65 can be considered the beginning of old age because, until recently, United States and British people became eligible to retire at this age with full Social Security benefits.  However, in 2003, the age at which a US citizen became eligible for full Social Security benefits began to increase gradually, and will continue to do so until it reaches 67 in 2027.

Whenever the elder age may come, elder abuse without a doubt can become a problem.  According to Medline Plus, elder abuse is doing something or failing to do something that results in harm to an elderly person or puts a helpless older person at risk of harm.  This includes –

• Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse
• Neglecting or deserting an older person you are responsible for
• Taking or misusing an elderly person’s money or property

Elder abuse can happen within the family or in a hospital or nursing homes.  It is a serious problem in United States.  All 50 states have laws against elder abuse.  The laws differ, but all states have systems for reporting suspected abuse.

To make matters more depressing, the National Center on Elder Abuse reports that between 1 and 2 million Americans age 65 or older have been physically injured, emotionally abused, or financially exploited by a caregiver.  These instances are not limited to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Many senior citizens are abused in their own homes by people they know.  All Home Security, in a press release, offers some tips to identify and prevent domestic abuse or exploitation of the elderly 

• Know the warning signs – While the signs of physical abuse are fairly easy to spot, many forms of elder abuse are not always obvious.  Stay informed and aware of all the possibilities.  In cases of neglect, victims will likely show signs of filth, lack of medical care, expired or empty medication bottles, pressure ulcers, or malnutrition.  For emotional abuse, symptoms could include withdrawal from normal activities or relationships, unexplained changes in demeanor, alertness or other behavioral patterns.
• Beware of finances—Elder abuse can also occur in the form of financial exploitation.  This involves theft of money or property, forgery of checks or other financial documents as well as scams and fraud.  Signs of financial abuse include suddenly altered wills, depletion of accounts, unusual withdrawals or checks, loss of property and excessive gift-giving.

Upgrade home security—Installing home alarm systems with remote activation and security cameras can provide evidence of crime while serving as deterrents for potential abusers. Security systems can help empower elderly people within their homes, giving them control over their own safety.