Physical and Emotional Abuse of an Elder

The number of elders who are abused in this country and around the world each day is growing at an astonishing rate be it from individuals or institutions. As many as one in ten older adults and one in two people with dementia are victims of elder abuse. Unfortunately, for every case that gets reported there are 23 that go unreported. ("Get Info," 2014) as you can see from the statistics elder abuse is not uncommon in the United States. Any elder has the potential of being physically, emotionally, sexually, or financially abused by another individual. Elders can also cause harm to themselves by neglecting their daily needs. At St. Rita’s nursing home, during Katrina, thirty-five elderly residents were trapped inside all eventually drowning in their wheelchairs and beds.

The physical abuse of an elder is defined as inflicting physical pain or injury on a senior. Some examples of physical abuse include slapping, bruising, and restraining by physical or chemical means. Older people get bruises much more easily than do younger people, but bruising alone is not sufficient evidence that an elderly person is being abused. Abusive behavior can be intentional or unintentional, but no matter the means of the person, if they are causing the elderly person to be in pain, they are indeed abusing them. Any injury that cannot be explained by an elder of sound mind should be interpreted as abuse and should be heavily investigated. Physical abuse, if intentional, is often accompanied by emotional abuse.

Emotional abuse is inflicting mental pain, anguish, or distress on an older person through verbal or nonverbal acts. Roughly 4.6 percent of adults over age 60 reported experiencing some form of emotional mistreatment prior to 2009. Some examples...

... middle of paper ...

...their hands. Surely this is a position that no one else would want to be in and make that kind of decision.

Mrs. Doe is, and always will be an elder abuser! She, alongside her husband, took the lives of 35 innocent people that day. As stated earlier, abuse can be non intentional. I do not believe that she wanted to kill her patients, but by not evacuating, she should be held fully responsible for what happened. From top to bottom, elder abuse is invasive and can happen to any family, anywhere, any day. The only way to stop this horrible act is to take a stand and get the community involved. The public needs to be informed of the signs of elder abuse, and the necessary steps that need to be taken to reduce it. As with all abuse, it will never be completely stopped but it can be greatly reduced. Everyone is responsible for this, and everyone has the power to stop it!