Elder abuse is something that no one likes to talk about. That’s because people don’t want to think that someone could deliberately be unkind to someone that’s growing older.
People that experience abuse as they age often don’t want to talk about the abuse. It’s rare for an older person to admit that they were abused. The types of abuse that can happen as a person ages are verbal, psychological, financial and sexual.
Neglect of an aging person is also a form of abuse. Financial abuse can be done by caregivers, family members or attorneys or other legal professionals with access to the money.
If someone is being physically abused, sometimes there will be outward signs, but not always. Outward signs are things like unexplained bruises or cuts or broken bones.
The explanation as to the cause of the injury just doesn’t add up. The person may look haggard or unkempt. There may be signs of malnourishment such as noticeable weight loss.
You won’t always see signs that someone is being abused. But certain signs that a loved one is being abused could be present. These signs include being afraid to be around someone or to go to a certain place.
There may be unexplained absences when family members get together. If you suspect someone is being abused, you can ask questions. You can also do a well check visit or ask the authorities to do a well check visit.
Abuse as people age is something that needs to be discusses openly because by bringing it out in the open, it can be stopped. You can help to prevent abuse as you age by making sure that you stay engaged in an active lifestyle.
Being physically active will help you to take care of your own needs longer. You’ll want to have a close circle of contacts. These should be people that you can turn to if you need them and ones that will check on you.
You should establish a code word that you can use to let someone know you’re being mistreated. That way, if you live with the abusive person, you’ll have a way of getting the word out about the abuse.
Make sure that you are the one that handles your finances and all your health decisions. If you feel like you’ve reached the point where you can’t handle either anymore, then have a couple of people you trust help you make decisions.
Finally, know who to call if you find yourself in the position of needing to reach out on behalf of someone who is being harmed – or in case you’re the one that needs help.
Most people feel shame, anger and helplessness when someone abuses them in any way. Remember that it’s not your fault. You didn’t deserve it and it’s okay to reach out to someone for help.
