Elder Abuse is a very serious issue, and one that effects 4.3 million elders every year. That means that about 1 in 10 of the country’s senior citizens. Elder Abuse can come from nursing home attendants, home aids, or even family members. Abuse of the elderly can affect both men and women, almost equally. There are 5 main types of Elder Abuse: Emotional, Physical, Sexual, Financial, and Neglect & Abandonment. If you or a loved one is the victim of elder abuse, seek assistance. It is important to report the abuse and seek legal council.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional Abuse in the elderly can have detrimental effects to their mental health. Many senior citizens that are emotionally abused can experience depression, anxiety, and the deterioration of mental health. This can include confusion, memory loss, and more.
Physical Abuse
Physical Abuse can be a described as using number of methods of physical harm towards the victim; such as pinching, striking, kicking, burning, shaking, shoving, and beating. Injuries like bruises, head trauma, burns, and even broken bones have been reported as common signs of Physical Elder Abuse.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual Elder Abuse is the assault of a senior citizen in your care in a sexual manner. Common signs of sexual abuse in elders includes infections of the genitals and anus, bruises on or near the thighs, and difficulty walking or sitting.
Financial Abuse
Financial abuse is the misuse or theft of the senior citizen’s finances. This may include the abuser taking money, cashing checks without permission, buying personal items with the elder’s money, coercion to sign legal documents, the direct transfer of money, etc. Financial Elder Abuse can make it difficult for the victim to afford medications, treatments, or even basic necessities like food or rent. Sometimes, the abuser will take savings or valuables intended for heirs.
Neglect & Abandonment
The lack of care and treatment can also be abuse. Leaving an elderly person alone and unable to take care of themselves is considered abuse. This can also include the failure to provide food, hygiene, safety, medications, etc. This can be intentional or unintended, but is serious either way. Bedsores, malnutrition, dehydration, sunken eyes, poor hygiene, and untreated medical conditions can all be signs of neglectful caretakers.
If you or a loved one is being abused, seek assistance. Legal action may be needed to recover stolen assets or for reparations. The AARP, the National Center for Elder Abuse (NCEA), as well as a number of other organizations have resources for victims, to help with accepting and overcoming the trauma of Elder Abuse.
For more than 40 years, our firm has been assisting people like you with long term care and estate planning needs. We bring you the knowledge and resources to protect you and your family. Armstrong & Lamberti, PLLC does not provide tax, legal, medical or accounting advice by articles. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, tax, legal, medical, or accounting advice. Call 718.477.7700 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation with an estate planning attorney at Armstrong & Lamberti, PLLC. We proudly serve Staten Island, Brooklyn and the other boroughs of New York City.