Are older adults living in care homes, retirement homes, senior’s lodges, nursing homes, health facilities and other homes for the aged being mistreated? Learn to identify the various types of senior abuse and what to do if you suspect or know that abuse is occurring.
Types of Senior Abuse
- Physical abuse – This includes physical force resulting in pain or injury. Examples include hitting, slapping, beating, biting, punching, burning, kicking and pushing. In institutions, seniors can suffer physical abuse when caregivers force-feed them, use physical restraints, keep someone confined against their will or other residents push them.
- Financial abuse – This entails the exploitation of a senior’s money, property or other assets. Institutionalized seniors can suffer financial abuse when someone steals their money, steals their property, charges fraudulent medical expenses, compels a senior to sign documents, coerces a senior to grant power of attorney, forges a senior’s signature to get funds as well as extortion, robbery and fraud.
- Psychological abuse – This includes verbal abuse causing distress or pain. Examples include verbal assault, harassment, intimidation, threats against a senior or senior’s loved ones, humiliation and intentional emotional neglect. Seniors in institutions can suffer emotional abuse when they are socially isolated from relatives or others in the institution, treated with disrespect, treated like a child, frightened, not spoken to and kept from participating in normal activities.
- Sexual assault – This form of abuse covers any inappropriate touching, unwanted physical contact, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and rape.
- Medical abuse – This covers abuse related to medical needs. This includes not providing medical care, conducting medical procedures without the permission of the victim or the victim’s legal guardian, and not giving medicine when it is needed.
- Neglect – This occurs when the needs of seniors are not met by those they are depending on. This encompasses not providing the expected level of personal care, not supplying enough food, not maintaining a level of cleanliness and abandonment.
When committed by caregivers, some of these offenses are not just considered elder abuse but are classified as crimes. Even when the abuse is unintentional, it is still considered abuse.
How do you know if someone you love in a senior’s home is being abused? Here are some common indicators, although they may occur without abuse:
Physical Abuse
- unaccountable injuries
- unexplained falls
- inappropriate use of restraints
- rope marks
- bruises and/or hand prints on skin
- injured scalp (from hair pulling)
Financial Abuse
- money inexplicably gone
- unsanctioned/unclear use of senior’s funds
- missing property
- incomprehensible changes in will
- house inexplicably sold
- change in power of attorney
- standard of living does not match income
Psychological Abuse
- withdrawal from family
- withdrawal from previously enjoyed activities
- unexplained weight changes
- personality changes
- changes in sleep patterns (too much sleep or difficulty sleeping)
- senior allows others to answer questions for him/her
- senior suffering from depression, shame or fear, among other emotions
Sexual Abuse
- sexually transmitted disease
- bruised or bleeding genital or rectal area
- withdrawal from physical touching
Medical Abuse
- inappropriate administration of medicine(s)
- inaccurate/incomplete medical documentation of treatments
- medical treatment given that is not needed
- change in activity level
- confusion or excessive sleeping due to over-sedation
Neglect
- malnourishment
- not receiving the necessities of life
- untreated medical conditions
- poor hygiene and physical appearance
- unexplained weight loss
- unexplained rashes and/or sores
- dentures, glasses, hearing aids or walking devices not available
A senior can suffer from the indicators mentioned and not be abused.
What Do I Do if I Suspect a Loved One is Being Abused?
If you have concerns about abuse occurring, discuss the matter, giving specifics, to the institution’s supervisor. If you are not satisfied, file a complaint with the manager of the institution. Next, cases of abuse can be reported to the police. Do not think the abuse is too minimal; it should always be reported to take care of the senior and prevent future crimes. You can remain anonymous if you wish. Police will press charges once they ascertain a crime has been committed. You do not need to have proof of the abuse, just reasonable and probable grounds. If the abuse is by a doctor in Canada, report it to the chapter of College of Physicians and Surgeons in your province.
Keep a record of all phone calls and steps you take in an attempt to stop the abuse.
Sometimes you will not have proof of abuse but a sense that something is wrong. As Constable Kathleen Savage, past Seniors Liaison of the Crime Prevention Unit of the Calgary Police Service, explains, “Most gut feelings are truthful. In all my experience on this job, anyone that has come forward with an absolute true gut feeling has always been on the money. Having a gut feeling has become a criteria for me. It’s that feeling that creeps inside you that makes you not feel very good. It doesn’t feel right.”
Detecting senior abuse can be difficult, often compounded by the denial of the abuser and/or the victim.
Seniors and their families need to be encouraged to seek support and the public needs to recognize what is going on. Elder abuse in institutions is a hidden crime that needs to be exposed in order to be conquered.
Sources:
- The Complete Canadian Eldercare Guide by Caroline Tapp-McDougall. Published by John Wiley & Sons Canada Ltd, 2004
- Golden Years – Hidden Fears: Elder Abuse by Virginia Boyack. Published by Calgary’s Kerby Centre , 1997. This guide for front-line workers contains a wealth of information for everyone.
- Abuse of Older Adults by the Alberta Law Foundation
- The Canadian Bar Association
- The National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA)
Toby Welch - Toby is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in magazine articles, online writing, e-books, and manuscript editing.
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