Signs and symptoms of specific types of abuse
Physical abuse
* Unexplained signs of injury such as bruises, welts, or scars, especially if they appear symmetrically on two side of the body
* Broken bones, sprains, or dislocations
* Report of drug overdose or apparent failure to take medication regularly (a prescription has more remaining than it should)
* Broken eyeglasses or frames
* Signs of being restrained, such as rope marks on wrists
* Caregiver's refusal to allow you to see the elder alone
Emotional abuse
In addition to the general signs above, indications of emotional elder abuse include
* Threatening, belittling, or controlling caregiver behavior that you witness
* Behavior from the elder that mimics dementia, such as rocking, sucking, or mumbling to oneself
Sexual abuse
* Bruises around breasts or genitals
* Unexplained venereal disease or genital infections
* Unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding
* Torn, stained, or bloody underclothing
Neglect by caregivers or self-neglect
* Unusual weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration
* Untreated physical problems, such as bed sores
* Unsanitary living conditions: dirt, bugs, soiled bedding and clothes
* Being left dirty or unbathed
* Unsuitable clothing or covering for the weather
* Unsafe living conditions (no heat or running water; faulty electrical wiring, other fire hazards)
* Desertion of the elder at a public place
Financial exploitation
* Significant withdrawals from the elder's accounts
* Sudden changes in the elder's financial condition
* Items or cash missing from the senior's household
* Suspicious changes in wills, power of attorney, titles, and policies
* Addition of names to the senior's signature card
* Unpaid bills or lack of medical care, although the elder has enough money to pay for them
* Financial activity the senior couldn't have done, such as an ATM withdrawal when the account holder is bedridden
* Unnecessary services, goods, or subscriptions
Healthcare fraud and abuse
* Duplicate billings for the same medical service or device
* Evidence of overmedication or undermedication
* Evidence of inadequate care when bills are paid in full
* Problems with the care facility:
- Poorly trained, poorly paid, or insufficient staff
- Crowding
- Inadequate responses to questions about care
Risk factors for elder abuse
It's difficult to take care of a senior when he or she has many different needs, and it's difficult to be elderly when age brings with it infirmities and dependence. Both the demands of caregiving and the needs of the elder can create situations in which abuse is more likely to occur.
Risk factors among caregivers
Many nonprofessional caregivers -- spouses, adult children, other relatives and friends -- find taking care of an elder to be satisfying and enriching. But the responsibilities and demands of elder caregiving, which escalate as the elder's condition deteriorates, can also be extremely stressful. The stress of elder care can lead to mental and physical health problems that make caregivers burned out, impatient, and unable to keep from lashing out against elders in their care.
Among caregivers, significant risk factors for elder abuse are
* inability to cope with stress (lack of resilience)
* depression, which is common among caregivers
* lack of support from other potential caregivers
* the caregiver's perception that taking care of the elder is burdensome and without psychological reward
* substance abuse
Even caregivers in institutional settings can experience stress at levels that lead to elder abuse. Nursing home staff may be prone to elder abuse if they lack training, have too many responsibilities, are unsuited to caregiving, or work under poor conditions.
The elder's condition and history
Several factors concerning elders themselves, while they don't excuse abuse, influence whether they are at greater risk for abuse:
* The intensity of an elderly person's illness or dementia
* Social isolation; i.e., the elder and caregiver are alone together almost all the time
* The elder's role, at an earlier time, as an abusive parent or spouse
* A history of domestic violence in the home
* The elder's own tendency toward verbal or physical aggression
Although elderly residents are awarded certain nursing home rights, some facilities, either unknowingly or intentionally, may violate these basic rights. If you suspect your loved one is being abused in a nursing home or otherwise deprived of their nursing home resident rights, such as bed sores, dehydration, malnutrition, under staffing, physical abuse, you should immediately contact us toll free at 1.866.999.9085 or on-line at www.thepecklawgroup.com for a free thorough case review and evaluation. This case review is being offered at no cost and shall help determine whether you should take legal action on behalf of your elder / dependent adult loved one. We Will Help You!!!
