A Broad Spectrum: Elder Abuse

The News Journal of Wilmington, Delaware recently reported a training session held by the Office of the Attorney General to train to people in myriad fields to detect and prevent elder abuse. In the article, found here, the trainees where instructed in two critical areas:

First we wanted to train everyone in law enforcement to recognize elderly abuse. Second there was public awareness to the types of abuses: physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and financial exploitation," White said. [emphasis added]

I emphasize the words recognize and public awareness because they are two of the most critical things which prevent reporting of elder abuse. Elder abuse comes in many forms and is hard to detect. It's not limited to physical abuse--it covers financial abuse, neglect, and psychological abuse, among others.

Only 25 years ago, domestic violence between spouses and between parents and children was highly under-reported. Through public awareness campaigns, stricter laws and enforcement, and better social services to assist battered women and children, domestic violence has been exposed and services to victims have improved. Elder abuse is now coming to the forefront as an area which needs dramatic increase in resources and public awareness.

As our society ages, and the elderly become more dependent physically, mentally, and financially, they become an easy target for all types of deplorable acts. The elderly often have immense wealth from home appreciation and savings, but they often live alone and are isolated. Those with disabilities may be dependent on "home health aides"or neighbors who over time become acquainted with the financial assets of the elderly person. Unfortunately, due to age and/or disability, the elderly frequently fail to take action against the abuser(s) due to their embarrassment or disability.

The National Committee on the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA) is an excellent resource to learn more about elder abuse. This website outlines the many types of elder abuse, the indicators for each type of abuse, and also directs readers to other avenue of assistance.