Thursday, March 14, 2019

Hidden in the Shadows: Detecting and Addressing Elder Abuse

Elder abuse can be defined as “intentional or neglectful acts by a caregiver or ‘trusted’ individual that lead to, or may lead to, harm of a vulnerable elder.”1 It is often a “hidden offence, often perpetrated against vulnerable people, many with memory impairment, by those on whom they depend.”2

Elder abuse is common, with one study suggesting that it may affect as many as 1 in 4 vulnerable older people.3 According to the National Council on Aging, approximately 1 in 10 Americans older than 60 years has been the victim of abuse, including physical abuse, psychological or verbal abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect.4

Given the rapidly burgeoning population of older adults in the United States, the number of potentially abused elders is staggering: in 2015, older adults — defined as people age 65 years or above (47.8 million) constituted nearly 15% of the US population — up by 1.6 million from 2014.5 It is projected that by 2060, the number will reach 98.2 million, comprising nearly one-fourth of US residents5 as the “Baby Boomers” age and as life expectancy is expected to increase.6 Of these, 19.7 million will be age 85 years or older.5

Elder abuse can take place in both community and institutional settings; however, some research suggests that it is more common in the community.7 A 2000 survey showed that 60.7% of elder abuse took place in domestic settings, whereas 8.3% took place in institutional facilities.8  (Click to Continue)


Full Article & Source:
Hidden in the Shadows: Detecting and Addressing Elder Abuse

2 comments:

Rianna said...

If the government and authorities want elders to stand up, they need to assure elders these crimes will be punished.

Kathy said...

Amen