Elderly Abuse Essay

Esther Donovan

University of the West Indies

NURS2027 (Post-RN Online)

Nursing Care of Patients 65 Years and Older

1. As a nurse working in a nursing facility you are asked to plan an in-service education program for the nursing assistants. The topic is elder abuse. Identify and discuss the information would be most important to include?

Topic: Elderly abuse

Content

1. What do you understand by the term ‘elderly abuse’?

Elderly abuse can be defined as any form of mistreatment that may result in the harm or loss of an older person.

Elderly abuse can be divided into the following categories:

- Physical abuse which is the physical force that result in bodily injury, pain, or impairment. It includes assult, battery, and inappropriate restraint.

- Psychological abuse is the wilful infliction of mental or emotional anguish by threat, humiliation, or other verbal or non verbal conduct.

- Financial abuse can be defined as the illegal or inappropriate use of an older person’s funds, property, or resources.

- Neglect is the failure of a caregiver to fulfil his or her care giving responsiblilies.

- Self neglect is the failure to provide for one’s own essential needs.

To put it in a simpler form abuse can assume many forms, including inflicting pain or injury; stealing; mismanaging funds; misusing medication; causing psychological distress; withholding food and care; or sexual abuse, exploiting, or confining a person. Even threatening to commit any of these acts is also considered abuse (Eliopoulos, 2014).

Do caregivers participate in elderly abuse?

Yes?

Caregiver stress can lead to the abuse of the older adult.

Nursing home staff may also begin abusing the elderly under certain circumstances. Many facilities are understaffed, and that additional stress and exhaustion may contribute to the abuse of the elderly. Most nursing facility staff members work long hours and may suffer from chronic fatigue, exhaustion, and lack of sleep “burn