Summary: Preventing Elder Abuse Objectives ~ Define elder abuse ~ Examine the prevalence of elder abuse ~ Identify risk factors for elder abuse ~ Explore prevention strategies A direct link to the counseling CEU course based on this podcast can be found at https://allceus.com/podcastCEUs Definitions ~ “Physical Abuse” means the use of physical force which results or could result in physical injury to an incapacitated adult. ~ “Sexual Abuse” means contact or interaction of a sexual nature involving an incapacitated adult who is being used without his or her informed consent. ~ “Emotional abuse” means the misuse of power, authority or both, verbal harassment, or unreasonable confinement which results or could result in the mental anguish or emotional distress of an incapacitated adult. ~ “Neglect” means an act of omission which results or could result in the deprivation of essential services necessary to maintain the minimum mental, emotional or physical health and safety of an incapacitated adult. Definitions ~ “Self Neglect” refusing to engage in behaviors necessary to maintain his minimum mental, emotional or physical health and safety. ~ “Exploitation” means the illegal use of an incapacitated adult’s person or property for another person’s profit or advantage ~ Domestic violence is a pattern of coercive control that one family member exercises over another. The offender may use physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, isolation, threats, intimidation, and maltreatment of the loved ones or pets to exert control over the other person. Prevalence ~ Prevalence of elder abuse to be approximately 10% ~ verbal mistreatment (9%) ~ financial mistreatment (3.5%) ~ physical mistreatment (less than 1%) ~ ~260,000 (1 in 13) older adults in New York had been victims of at least one form of elder abuse in the preceding year. ~ Adult Protective Services (APS) agencies show an increasing trend in the reporting of elder abuse. ~ Only about one out of every 14 incidents of elder abuse are reported. ~ Only one out of every 25 cases of financial exploitation are reported. Abuse in Long-Term Care Facilities and Nursing Homes ~ According to the Nursing Home Abuse Center, available research indicates the following: ~ About 3.2 million U.S. citizens lived in nursing facilities in 2009. ~ A study of 2,000 nursing facility residents indicated an abuse rate of 44 percent and a neglect rate of 95 percent. ~ Complaints of abuse, exploitation or neglect accounted for 7 percent of complaints given to Ombudsmen at long-term care facilities. Risk Factors ~ Dementia is a risk factor. A 2009 study revealed that close to 50% of people with dementia experience some kind of abuse. ~ Warning Signs ~ Memory loss that disrupts daily life (typical forgetfulness) ~ Challenges in planning or solving problems (occasional errors) ~ Difficulty completing familiar tasks (occasionally needing help) ~ Confusion with time or place (temporary disorientation) ~ Difficulty reading or judging distance (cataracts) ~ Problems with words in speaking or writing (slower processing) ~ Misplacing things with inability to retrace steps. Accusing people of stealing ~ Increases in poor judgement (occasional lapses) ~ Withdrawal from social activities (being tired) ~ Changes in mood and personality (rigid routines) Risk Factors ~ Low social support / social isolation ~ Experience of previous traumatic events—including interpersonal and domestic violence—has been found to increase the risk for emotional, sexual, and financial mistreatment. ~ Functional impairment and poor physical health are associated with greater risk of abuse and reluctance to report. ~ Living with a large number of household members other than a spouse is associated with an increased risk of abuse, especially financial abuse. ~ Vulnerable due to grief from recent loss Risk Factors ~ Lower income or poverty (physical, verbal) ~ Regular income or accumulated assets (financial) ~ Unfamiliar w
