by Kay Bidwell | Sep 13, 2016 | aging safely, Uncategorized
Sadly, too many of our elders find themselves victims of some form of elder abuse. Whether the abuse is physical, emotional or financial, some elder abuse protection is possible with a few simple steps. Stay connected! Keep in touch regularly with others; isolation can make you vulnerable to abuse. Build a network of family, friends, neighbors, and groups to interact with. Creating a buddy system with other elders who call or visit each other daily will provide additional eyes and ears to keep you safe. Keep active, stay busy. Get involved with your senior center or other groups. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging office to identify programs and support, such as Meals on Wheels. These programs help elders to maintain health, well-being, and independence — a good defense against abuse. Be cautious! Some scams target seniors and will take advantage of them. To protect yourself, learn about the types of elder abuse and neglect and their warning signs (see our previous blog or go to the National Center on Elder Abuse website to learn more. Get on the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce telemarketing calls. Visit www.donotcall.gov or call 888-382-1222 to register your phone number. A prize, loan or investment that sounds too good to be true, probably is too good to be true. Ask someone you trust before making a large purchase or investment. Don’t be pressured into making immediate decisions. Don’t sign anything you don’t completely understand without first consulting an attorney or trusted family member. Do not provide personal information such as a social security or credit card number over the phone...
by Kay Bidwell | Sep 9, 2016 | aging safely, Uncategorized
ELDER ABUSE – A SERIOUS PROBLEM Each year as many as one in ten older persons are abused, neglected, and/or exploited. Many victims are people who are frail, vulnerable and depend on others to meet their basic needs. Abusers of older adults may be family members, staff at nursing homes or assisted living facilities, and even strangers. The National Center on Elder Abuse estimates that 90% of elder abuse cases involve family members. Elder abuse can occur anywhere. It affects seniors across all income levels, cultures, and races. Women and “older” elders are more likely to be victimized. Dementia is a significant risk factor, as is isolation. In general, elder abuse refers to intentional or neglectful acts by a caregiver or other trusted individual that lead to harm of a vulnerable elder. This can include physical abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, and abandonment. • Physical abuse means inflicting physical pain or injury upon an older adult. • Sexual abuse means touching, fondling, intercourse, or any other sexual activity with an older adult, when the older adult is unable to understand, unwilling to consent, threatened, or physically forced. • Emotional abuse means verbal assaults, threats of abuse, harassment, humiliation or intimidation. • Neglect is a failure by those responsible to provide an older adult with life’s necessities, such as food, clothing, shelter, medical care or basic protection. • Financial exploitation means the misuse, concealment or withholding of an older adult’s assets for someone else’s benefit. • Abandonment is desertion of a vulnerable elder by anyone who has assumed the responsibility for care or custody of...
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