Elder
Abuse and Neglect…How you can help
Introduction
Thousands of extremely
vulnerable older persons in
As the older population
increases, the problem of abused, neglected and exploited elderly will grow.
The types of mistreatment to which older persons are subjected include
physical, sexual and emotional abuse; neglect of basic care needs, and
financial exploitation of every kind. The abusers are almost always the
seniors’ own family members or caregivers.
Although a wide range of
professionals are mandated to report suspected elder abuse to the Elder Abuse
and Neglect Program under certain circumstances, estimates are that only about
one in 12 or 13 cases is actually reported. This means that the vast majority
of victims are suffering, often for years, when there is help available.
Early Intervention Services
While an array of services is usually available in
communities, older adults who are victims of abuse often face unique barriers
that prevent access to available resources.
Early intervention services are available for short-term and
emergency situations when other resources are not available.
These services include: legal assistance, housing and
relocation assistance, respite care and emergency aid such as food, clothing or
medical care.
Victim Profile
The alleged victims are older
persons between 60 and 108 years of age, with the average age of 78. Almost
three-fourths of the victims are female although females represent only 59
percent of the general population over 60. Four out of five of the alleged
victims suffer from one or more barriers to independent living, with the
greatest number being functionally impaired. Seventy-five percent of elder
abuse victims are white, 22 percent are black , and 3
percent are Hispanic, other or unknown.
Abuser Profile
Elder abuse is quite clearly
a family problem: over 75 percent of the alleged abusers are the spouse (13
percent), child (42 percent), or other relatives (21 percent) of the victim.
Although the majority
of caregivers to older person are women, the abusers are slightly more likely
to be male as female. In almost half of all cases the abuser is the victim’s
caregiver, which means the older person is dependent on the abuser and thus
extremely vulnerable to continued abuse.
Generally,
more than one type of abuse is suspected to occur at one time.
Definitions
An
older adult’s interests and welfare are the first concern of the Illinois Elder
Abuse and Neglect Program.
Physical Indicators
These conditions may indicate physical abuse:
Injuries are sometimes hidden under the breast or on other areas of the body normally covered by clothing. Repeated skin or other bodily injuries should be noted and careful attention paid to their location and treatment. Frequent use of the emergency room or other health care “shopping” may indicate physical abuse. The lack of necessary appliances, such as walkers, canes and bedside commodes, or the lack of necessities, such as heat, food and water, or unsafe conditions in the home may indicate abuse or neglect.
Other Indicators
Indicators
of Financial Exploitation
Behavioral Indicators
These behaviors on the part of the older person, in and of themselves, do not indicate abuse or neglect; but, combined with other indicators, they may be significant:
Indicators of Abuse by Family or Caregiver
Program Principles of
Limited Mandatory Reporting
The law combines voluntary and mandatory reporting requirements to report suspected cases of elder abuse, neglect or exploitation. The law requires that certain persons who provide services to older people, including health professionals, Aging Network personnel and others, must report to the Elder Abuse and Neglect Program any suspicious of elder abuse, neglect or exploitation of eligible adults who, because of dysfunction, cannot report for themselves. The law also encourages the public to report voluntarily for other older persons, and provides immunity from liability for anyone making such an elder abuse report in good faith.
Self Determination
The concept of self-determination adopted by the State of
Causes of Abuse
Just as there are
several types of abuse, there are numerous causes.
Domestic Violence Grown Old
Some couples have had violent interactions for decades, and the abuse continues as the couple ages. Because of increased age, the victim –almost always the woman – can be more vulnerable to injury. These cases can be difficult to resolve because separating the parties or arresting and prosecuting the abuser are about the only effective long term interventions.
Dysfunctional Abuser
Almost half of the abusers have a substance abuse problem, are financially dependent on the victim or both. Adult men who have always been dependent on their parents or other relatives have most often been identified as perpetrators of physical abuse. Dysfunctional abusers, are also often responsible for financial exploitation as they attempt to use the older adult’s resources, rather than create their own. Helping the abuser to become more independent may relieve the abuse, as well as, in many cases, reduce the older person’s isolation through implementation of new services and legal protections.
Paid Caregiver
These are the cases in which the older person’s caregiving needs and loneliness can make him or her vulnerable to someone who exploits the relationship. While the caregiver may or may not be a family member, strong emotional ties can develop on the older adult’s part, making him or her as reluctant to hold the caregiver accountable as if that person were the older adult’s own child.
Interventions
Intervention Principles
The principles below have been written in support of an older person’s right to self-determination:
Services
The
Elder Abuse and Neglect Program provides these
services to victims:
·
Intake of Reports: This screening process
determines if there is a reasonable suspicion of elder abuse, neglect or
exploitation and the urgency of the report.
·
Assessment: A
systematic, standardized system responds to reports of abuse, neglect or
exploitation for the purposes of determining whether abuse has occurred, the
degree of risk of further harm to the older person and if immediate
interventions are necessary. When a call is received, a trained elder abuse
caseworker responds within a specified period of time depending on the severity
of the case: within 24 hours for the most dangerous situations; within 72 hours
for intermediate ones and up to seven days for all others.
· Casework: Intensive case work activities on substantiated cases of abuse, neglect and exploitation would include working with an older adult to develop and implement a case plan for the purpose of stabilizing the situation and reducing risk of further harm to the older person. The case plan could include legal, medical, social service or other necessary assistance.
The approach is low-key, stressing the desire to work with older adults and his or her family to resolve any problems. Depending on the other person’s needs, wishes and resources, a range of interventions may be put into place, including:
· Follow-Up: Because abuse, neglect, and exploitation are sometimes a recurring problem even after intervention, a systematic method of follow-up on substantiated cases is essential. Follow-up may be effective in preventing further abuse by working with an older adult to detect recurring signs of abuse before the situation becomes life-threatening.
from: Illinois
Department of Aging
217-785-3356
FAX: 217-785-4477
www.state.il.us/aging/
To report suspected abuse please call
1-800-252-8966 (voice & TTY) 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday – Friday or 1-800-279-0400 after hours, weekends, and holidays