How to Confront Elder Abuse

According to Help.org, tens of thousands of elderly people are abused in America annually. This abuse occurs at the hands of relatives, home nurses and professionals in geriatric care centers. Elderly abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional or financial. Often times confronting the issue is difficult, as elderly people are either ashamed or afraid to admit they are being treated this way. By following a few tips, elderly abuse can be confronted or prevented by concerned parties.

Things You'll Need

• Community resources
• Telephone

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Instructions

• 1

  Observe how the elder acts in the presence of their caretaker. Observe whether they seem nervous or angry, or whether the caretaker seems impatient. These subtle clues can let you know whether abuse is taking place, even no one has told you. In the case of financial abuse, observe whether the caretaker seems to be living outside of their means, whether the caretaker has unguarded access to the elder's funds, and if the elder appears well taken care of. Also observe whether the caretaker have their own means of income outside of the elder. All of these may be factors in determining whether abuse is present.

• 2

  Listen to the elder and their caretaker. Ask yourself whether the elder is expressing fear or sadness, or whether the caretaker is trying to tell you that they're overwhelmed by their responsibility.

• 3

  Ask the elder what's going on. Ask him or her what their relationship is like with their caretaker. The elder may not want to tell the truth, for fear of retaliation at the hands of their caretaker, but their reaction will indicate the truth, whether they feel comfortable speaking up or not. Speak to the caretaker as well. Tell them why you suspect abuse and ask them if this is the case. Just like the elder, they may deny the abuse, but their reaction will let you know what's going on.

• 4

  If the caretaker is a family member, offer assistance. Accusing the caretaker is not the best course of action, as they likely need physical and emotional help. Share with them the names, phone numbers and websites of places with available resources; the elderly person's insurance my provide a part-time professional caretaker. There are also places that deliver meals to the elderly, which can alleviate some of the family member's pressure. If this doesn't help, report the abuse to local authorities.

• 5

  If you suspect abuse of an elderly person at the hands of a professional, such as a home nurse, or nursing home staff, immediately inform the supervisor of the professional, and/or the local authorities. Until the problem is addressed, or the professional is replaced, contact family members and/or friends who can be with the elderly person around the clock to prevent any further abuse.

• 6

  Implement preventive measures. Discuss the kinds of elder abuse with elders, as well as the ensuing guilt or fear which often prevents them from speaking up about what is happening. Speak to caretakers about maintaining their own mental, physical and emotional health, including creative outlets and proper diet and exercise. In terms of preventing financial abuse, make sure all bank and credit card information is kept in a secure place, and shred all documents containing this information.