Abuse of Older Adults

Every year millions of older adults are abused or neglected. This mistreatment can be physical or mental or involve money. It can happen no matter:

• The person's race or ethnic group.
• How much money he or she has.
• Whether the person is healthy or frail.
• Whether the person is a man or a woman.

Abuse can happen anywhere:

• In the person's own home.
• In someone else's home.
• In a hospital or nursing facility.

The abuse may be done on purpose or by mistake by anyone caring for the older adult. It could be:

• A family member.
• A paid caregiver.
• Anyone.

Older adults may not report abuse. They may:

• Be ashamed of what is happening.
• Want to protect someone especially if the abuser is a spouse, child, or grandchild.
• Be afraid the abuser will get back at them.
• Be afraid of being put in a nursing facility.
• Worry no one will believe them.

Sometimes abuse is not reported because doctors, nurses, and social workers do not know what to look for or because older adults may have no contact with people who might report it.

What is abuse of older adults?

Abuse is anything someone does or does not do that ends up harming the person's health and well-being. There are many kinds of abuse. There could be more than one kind going on at the same time.

Physical abuse is anything someone does to cause pain, injury, or disease. Among other things, the older adult could be:

• Burned.
• Shaken.
• Beaten.
• Attacked sexually.
• Tied to a bed or wheelchair.
• Given too much medicine when it is not needed.

Physical neglect is the type of abuse that happens most often. Neglect is when the caregiver does not give the person the things needed for his or her health. This may happen when the caregiver does not know what the person needs. The older adult may not:

• Get food or water.
• Be allowed to wear hearing aids, eyeglasses or dentures.
• Get needed medicine or care.

Emotional abuse causes stress or harm to the person. This can include:

• Insults or threats.
• Ignoring the person.
• Treating him or her like a child.

Financial abuse is misusing the older adult's money and property. The abuser may:

• Spend money without the person's say so.
• Sell his or her property or other things.
• Steal money, food stamps, or checks.
• Misuse assets.

Violating personal rights is when older adults are not allowed to make their own decisions if they are able to do so. This means things like:

• Not giving them any privacy.
• Not letting them vote or worship.
• Opening or looking at their mail, or not letting them read it.

Why do people abuse older adults?

There are many reasons why abuse happens.

Stress. The caregiver may:

• Be tired, angry or frustrated.
• Have money worries.
• Not be able to deal with his or her own feelings.

Drugs. The abuser or even the abused may use drugs or alcohol. Or he or she may even be mentally ill.

Resentment. The abuser may have to depend on the older person for housing, money, or child care.

Past abuse. Abuse may happen as part of a cycle of family violence. The abuser may have been hurt in childhood by the older person or by someone else.

How do you know when abuse is happening?

Everyone needs to help stop this kind of abuse.

Doctors or nurses may find signs of physical abuse, like:

• Bruises.
• Broken bones.
• Burns.
• Marks on wrists or ankles.
• Too much or too little medicine.
• Unexplained weight loss or dehydration.

Signs of mental stress may include:

• Unusual weight gain or loss.
• Crying.
• Not being able to sleep.
• Tearfulness.
• Being nervous.
• Being uneasy or nervous around the caregiver.
• Agitation and difficult behaviors.

Neighbors may report hearing:

• Screaming.
• Crying.
• Fighting.

Friends and family members may notice:

• Dental neglect.
• Poor hygiene.
• Bald spots from pulling out hair.
• The signs of abuse noted above.

If someone thinks abuse could be going on, it is important to get help right away. Things could get a lot worse if the abuse is not reported. It is better to be wrong than to have anyone suffer alone.

IF YOU ARE BEING ABUSED OR THINK THAT MAYBE SOMEONE ELSE IS BEING ABUSED, CALL 1-800-677-1116 RIGHT AWAY.

The National Eldercare Locator hotline can help you find the right agency to report your worries.