Is someone taking advantage of someone
you love? June 15 is World Elder
Abuse Prevention Day, a day to call attention to a crisis that may become even
more common as baby boomers enter the “third acts” of their lives.1
Every year, more than half a million
American elders are abused or neglected. That estimate comes from the Centers for Disease Control, and the
frequency of elder abuse may be greater as so many elders are afraid or simply
unable to speak out about what is happening to them. In some cases, the abuse is limited to financial exploitation. In
other cases, it may encompass neglect and physical or emotional cruelty.1
What should you watch out for? Different varieties of elder abuse have different
signals, some less obvious than others.
Neglect. This is commonly defined as withholding or failing to
supply necessities of daily living to an elder, from food, water and
appropriate clothing to necessary hygiene and medicines. Signals are easily
detectable and include physical signs such as bedsores, malnutrition and
dehydration and flawed living conditions (i.e., faulty electrical wiring, fleas
or cockroaches, inadequate heat or air conditioning).
Self-neglect also surfaces, stemming from the declining physical or
mental capacity of an elder. If he or she foregoes proper hygiene, disdains
needed medications or medical aids, or persists in living in an insect-ridden,
filthy or fire-hazardous dwelling, intervene to try and change their
environment for the better, for their health and safety.
Finally, neglect may also take financial form. If someone who has
assumed a fiduciary duty to pay for assisted living, nursing home care or
at-home health care fails to do so, that is a form of neglect which may be
defined as elder abuse. The same goes for an in-home eldercare service provider
that fails to provide an adequate degree or frequency of care.2
Abandonment. This occurs when a caregiver or responsible party
flat-out deserts an elder – dropping him or her off at a nursing home, a
hospital, or even a bus or train station with no plans to return. Hopefully,
the elder has the presence of mind to call for help, but if not, a tragic
situation will quickly worsen. When an elderly person seems to stay in one
place for hours and appears confused or deserted, it is time to get to the
bottom of what just happened for his or her safety.
Physical abuse. Bruises and lacerations are evident signals, but
other indicators are less evident: sprains and dislocations, cracked eyeglass
lenses, impressions on the arms or legs from restraints, too much or too little
medication, or a strange reticence, silence or fearfulness or other behavioral
changes in the individual.
Emotional or psychological abuse. How do you know if an elder has been verbally
degraded, tormented, or threatened in your absence, or left in isolation? If
the elder is not willing or able to let you know about such wrongdoing, watch
for signals such as withdrawal from conversation or communication, agitation or
distress, and repetitive or obsessive-compulsive actions linked to dementia
such as rocking, biting or sucking.2
Financial abuse. When an unscrupulous relative, friend or other party
uses an elder's funds, property, or assets illegally or dishonestly, this is
financial exploitation of the elderly. This runs all the way from withdrawing
an elder’s savings with his or her ATM card to forgery to improperly assuming
conservatorship or power of attorney.2
How do you spot it? Delve into the elder’s financial life and see if
you detect things like strange ATM withdrawals or account activity, additional
names on a bank signature card, changes to beneficiary forms, or the sudden
absence of collectibles or valuables.
Examine signatures on financial transactions – on closer examination,
do they appear to be authentic, or studied forgeries? Have assets been inexplicably
transferred to long-uninvolved heirs or relatives, or worse yet apparent
strangers? Have eldercare bills gone unpaid recently? Is the level of eldercare
being provided oddly slipshod given the financial resources being devoted to
it?
Respect your elders; protect your elders.
Some people aim to exploit senior
citizens. Others simply don’t recognize or respect the responsibilities that
come with eldercare. Whether the abuse is intentional or not, the emotional,
physical or financial harm done can be reprehensible. Talk to or check in on
your parents, grandparents, siblings or other elders you know and care for to
see that they are free from such abuse.
This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not
necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates.
All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no
representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Please note - investing
involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The
publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services.
If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a
competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment,
tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any
Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to
purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not
be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of
any particular investment.
Citations.
1 - cdc.gov/features/elderabuse/ [6/9/14]
2 - ncea.aoa.gov/FAQ/Type_Abuse/index.aspx [2/10/15]
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