Janet Stevens: Isolation and loneliness are fertile ground for elder abuse

Janet Stevens

IT’S TIME to sound the alarm on the growing elder abuse crisis. Across the United States, our most vulnerable citizens are experiencing premature death, physical and psychological harm, and financial ruin due to malicious actors.

The U.S. Department of Justice has found that nearly 10% of adults over the age of 65 experience abuse of some kind. Yet, the number is likely even larger. The DOJ has determined that only 1 in 12 victims of psychological abuse, 1 in 20 victims of physical abuse, 1 in 44 victims of financial exploitation, and 1 in 57 victims of caregiver neglect will report their case. Underreporting is not just a national phenomenon, underreporting occurs in New Hampshire as well.

According to New Hampshire’s Bureau of Elderly & Adult Services, only 1 in 14 cases of abuse will be reported. According to the National Council on Aging, the reasons for underreporting are myriad — fear of retaliation by the offender, reluctance to disclose the incident because of shame or embarrassment, concern they will be institutionalized, dependency on the offender, and an inability to report because of physical limitations or cognitive impairments. An abuser may be a caregiver, someone that is trusted by the senior citizen, but studies indicate that 60 to 90% of elder abuse is committed by family.

Cleary, elder abuse is a pervasive issue. New Hampshire must afford greater protections to our most at risk citizens. Addressing this growing crisis is not without challenges, but there are solutions within our grasp. There are three actions we can take to address the growing elder abuse crisis:

First, we must help New Hampshire residents understand the issue. Elder abuse relative to other forms of intimate partner violence has lagged behind in dedicated research funding, national data collection, and federal legislation. The Elder Justice Act passed by Congress came 24 years after the passage of the Children’s Justice and Assistance Act and was not funded by appropriations. For every dollar spent by the federal government to address family violence, only a penny was spent to address elder abuse. The lack of allocated funding to study elder abuse has stymied awareness. Elder abuse is not a new phenomenon. It simply has not been discussed enough. More must be done to spread public awareness.

Second, we must prevent seclusion of the elderly. A University of Southern California study published in the Journal of Aging and Mental Health found that minimizing loneliness and social isolation can prevent elder abuse. Moreover, the research found that “individuals with a higher interpersonal dysfunction… (had) greater financial exploitation vulnerability.” Loneliness and social isolation make adults over 65 more likely to be victims of abuse. In New Hampshire, we must improve community support services. There are close to 40 senior day centers in the state — 14 of which are covered by Medicaid — that provide essential services while granting a home-based caregiver or family member a respite. These centers have done a lot of good but there must be greater access to them across New Hampshire.

Finally, we must improve reporting methods. A national survey of emergency department physicians found that 74% of doctors could not characterize or define instances of elder abuse and 58% of physicians could not say confidently whether they could identify when elder abuse has occurred. All too often, traits of abuse are similar to the most common medical conditions of those over 65. Burns are similar to contact dermatitis and bone fractures are a symptom of osteoporosis. Research, greater resources, and improved training must be a priority so that the medical expertise of frontline workers can be utilized effectively in the fight against elder abuse.

In 2020, one in five New Hampshire residents was over 60. By 2030, the over-60 population here is expected to top one in four. This is an estimated overall increase of 30% over the next decade. As New Hampshire ages, elder abuse will become more prolific, but we aren’t powerless. There are actions we can take immediately.

New Hampshire Adult Protective Services is staffed by 37 professionals charged with the responsibility for investigating and documenting abuse for a population of 370,000 elderly citizens in the state.

If we add just five more full-time APS professionals to lead investigations into abuse, the effect would be significant. Since 2019, the state has increased the APS budget by 11% to a total of $6.7 million. We are taking the right steps to combat elder abuse, but more must be done. If we do not spread awareness, prevent loneliness and isolation, and improve resources and training, then elder abuse will become widespread.

District 3 Executive Councilor Janet Stevens (R) lives in Rye. 

 

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Janet Stevens: Isolation and loneliness are fertile ground for elder abuse