What is Elder Abuse? Elder abuse is an intentional act ... or failure to act which creates a risk of harm to an older adult. An older adult is someone aged 60 or older. The abuse occurs at the hands of a caregiver or a person the elder trusts like sons and daughters or family members.
Elder abuse is the failure to meet the older adult's basic needs -food water, shelter, hygiene clothing, and essential medical care. It is a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.
The 7 most common types of elderly abuse include physical abuse, neglect, emotional abuse, financial abuse (financial exploitation), sexual abuse, and abandonment. Any of these elder abuse types can be devastating to older people.
Whether intentional or not, abuse may occur as a result of ignorance surrounding the aging process and the needs of elderly people. Abuse and Neglect can result from the false negative stereotype of older adults having no useful role, combined with non-acceptance of the increasing dependence that can accompany old age.
Examples include intimidation, coercion, ridiculing, disrespect humiliation, harassment, treating an adult like a child, isolating an adult from family, friends, or regular activity, use of silence to control behavior, geographic and interpersonal isolation, and yelling or swearing which results in mental distress.
Financial abuse can happen when a family member or friend takes over financial decisions and control of the older adult’s money. It also happens if a family member, friend or power of attorney controls the money but disregards the older adult’s financial obligations or does not fulfill instructions under the power of attorney.
Common examples of financial abuse include:
- A family member who repeatedly pressures a parent for money or borrows money, but never repays it
- A family member who sells a parent's house or other property and then uses the money for their own benefit
- Adult children who use a parent's pension and then makes the parent ask them for money
- A person who misuses a power of attorney
- A person who forces or tricks a senior into signing or changing a contract or will.