Everyone knows our agency for its child welfare work and our 241-KIDS hotline for reporting child abuse. Not as many know we also help protect the elderly.
Elder abuse is unacceptable. It takes many forms:
Neglect/Self-neglect
In this case, caregivers, or older adults themselves, are not meeting daily living needs. It can be intentional or unintentional. Self-neglect happens when older adults don’t want to, or can’t, do things on their own because of mental confusion or a physical disability.
Psychological Abuse
This is deliberate conduct that causes mental anguish and dehumanizes or belittles the older adult. Things like name-calling, threats of physical harm, or threats of placing the person in a nursing home are examples of psychological abuse.
Physical Abuse
When an older adult is deliberately hit and suffers bodily harm, that’s physical abuse. It also includes scratching, cuts, bruises, broken bones, physical restraint, attempted murder and murder.
Exploitation
This means theft of money, assets or other valuables. Assets include cash, Social Security and retirement funds, real estate, jewelry, furniture or any other items of value. People who might exploit an older adult include family members, caregivers, housekeepers, sales persons, and even telephone scammers.
If you feel someone you know is in one of the above situations, please notify us via our elder abuse reporting hotline, 421-LIFE.
