The Truth about Elderly Abuse and Neglect

Older adults who are abused and neglected have increased rates of hospitalization (Dong,2013). Geriatric abuse is a growing problem in America. "Studies have examined risk factors for maltreatment and prevalence surveys have been performed." (Johnson,1991)

Elder abuse is defined as the willful infliction of physical pain, injury, or mental anguish, or the willful deprivation of a caretaker of services necessary to maintain physical and mental health. Elders who live at home or who reside in a long-term care facility are at risk for geriatric maltreatment. "As the percentage of people over the age of 65 in America continue to live, so has the percentage of elderly abuse." (Woolf, 1998) Geriatric maltreatment has remained hidden from the public view. Research findings in economically developed regions and circumstantial evidence suggest that elder mistreatment is a much more universal phenomenon than what is generally perceived by society. Geriatric maltreatment has been suspected to be a morbid and mortal entity, but little is known about the circumstances of elder victims of violence. The primary caregiver of geriatric persons should be aware of certain indicators that will be featured in this review. There empirical studies being conducted in the following articles suggesting that there is a harmful link between geriatric abuse and psychological health. Primary caregivers should also be aware of self-neglect.

The National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) defines self-neglect as: "an adult’s inability, due to physical or mental impairment or diminished capacity, to perform essential self-care.." If the primary caregiver discovers that there is maltreatment to the geriatric person, they should then proceed to call the Elder Abuse Hotline and an investigation will follow. Geriatric persons should not be neglected, however, there may be some causes to why they have experienced this maltreatment.

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