Elder abuse

What is elder abuse? Elder abuse 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. (Wikipedia.org) Elder abuse is occurring more than it is acknowledged. The human life span is growing. People are living longer. People are reaching 85 and older and therefore they require more services. Elder adults go through many changes as they age causing them to rely on people more. Some Elderly people get to stage where they are unable to take care of themselves, very forgetful and unable to transport themselves and have rely on caregivers, family or close friends. Some elderly people get to a point where they can no longer live in their home and end up living in a nursing home or with a close family member. When most people think of elder abuse they think of nursing homes. Abuse does occur in nursing homes but it is more common in the community. Family members are a major cause of Elder abuse.
The most common abuse that elderly people suffer from is psychological, physical, sexual, neglect, and financial exploitation. These abuses usually occur by a caregiver. It can also happen within the family, nursing homes, assisted living facility. There are often possible signs to look for or recognize elderly abuse. The signs may be unexplained bruises, burns, and any other injuries. Bedsores and poor hygiene are also signs of abuse because the caregiver is neglecting the elderly person. Sometimes neglect can be unintentional if the caregiver isn’t trained properly. A estimate of 12.8 million Americans reporting needs for assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs- eating, dressing, bathing, transferring between the bed and the chair, toileting, controlling bladder and bowel)...(Bonnie & Wallace, p.10). If a caregiver or family member doesn’t develop the trained skills to assist or do for an elderly person ADLs, it will result in abuse. Another