About:
The fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population
is people age 60 and older. Abuse of elderly people
is an important part of the increase in family violence.
Recent statistics show more than 53 reports of elder
abuse are received in Ohio each day.
Like other family violence, elder abuse involves all
backgrounds and cultures. It happens all over Ohio.
It is rarely confined to a single event. The average
abused elderly person is:
*75 or older.
*Living with his or her children or relatives.
*In poor physical or mental health.
*Usually female.
We need to recognize and focus on the problem
of elder abuse to solve it. We need to conduct
more studies and use more resources against it.
We need to provide services to both the abused
and the abuser.
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People often hear about elderly abuse in
institutions, but only a small percent of elderly
live in institutions.
Most elderly persons live independently.
This may be alone, with a spouse, or with
relatives.
Most families don't abandon, abuse, neglect,
or take advantages of their elderly relatives.
But studies do point to the family as the single
greatest source of elder abuse.
Daughters, sons, grandchildren, or other relatives
may be abusers. Physical abusers are usually male.
Psychological abusers are usually over 50 or older.
These relatives may have been looking forward
to a time of personal freedom. They instead find
themselves supplying almost constant personal
and medical care to an elderly relative.
In many of families where abuse happens,
conflicts have existed for years. There may
be a pattern of violence in the family. The
parent may have treated the child badly earlier
in life. These problems come to a head when
family members more into the same home.
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Why does abuse of the
elderly happen?
Violence in the family has more than one cause.
However, a major cause is being unable to handle stress.
The relative who takes care of an elderly person may
have several sources of stress, such as:
*Financial problems.
*Divorce.
*Unemployment.
*Unhappiness with a job.
*Being forced to give up a job to take care of an elderly.
parent or relative.
*Shouldering the care and costs of an elderly person at
an age when the caretaker needs to plan for his or her
own retirement.
Stress often leads caretakers to misuse alcohol or drugs.
Misuse of alcohol is often a cause of family violence.
Drinking can lower a person's self-control and increase
the chance of aggressive and violent behavior.
Caretakers are often torn between love and hate,
between a sense of duty and a wish to be free from
responsibility. They may feel guilty for not welcoming
elderly relatives into their homes with open arms.
Old conflicts become worse. Caretakers may complain
that elderly persons don't:
*respect family needs for privacy.
*Consider family opinions.
*Recognize caretakers as adults.
As elderly persons become more dependent on
caretakers, the chance of abuse increases. This
abuse may be physical, emotional, or financial.
It can include neglect or exploitation.
Poor health can accompany aging and places
increasing burdens on the family. Many elderly
can't walk without the aid of another person or
a walker. Some may need a wheelchair. Many
need almost constant care and supervision and
can't be left alone. The family and the caretaker
begin to resent the restrictions placed on its time.
Some age-related diseases, and some medicines,
may change personality. These changes can make
the elderly person hard to care for. Some elderly
may:
* Try to control the family and the caretaker.
*Be demanding.
*Cry or scream.
*Withdraw.
*Refuse food.
*Refuse to take medicine.
*Throw objects.
*Hit or slap.
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How are the elderly being
abused?
Much has been written about the abuse of the
elderly by strangers. However, there is a higher
chance that family members will:
*Give improper or little care to the elderly.
*Neglect them or keep them in isolation.
*Deny proper food or medical care.
*Verbally abuse them.
*Threaten them with nursing home placement.
*Physically restrain them.
*Hit or beat them.
*Misuse their money or property.
*Wish for their death to preserve an inheritance
that will otherwise need to be spent on their care.
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Do the abused elderly tell
anyone?
The abused elderly often are not willing to tell
anyone about their situation. They may resign
themselves to the abuse due to:
*Embarrassment
*Pride
*Fear
*Love for the abuser.
*A belief that living in an institution is the only
other choice.
At times they do seek help. They may try to tell
someone, but not be believed. Or they may suffer
from a medical condition that prevents them from
understanding or clearly explaining what is happening
to them.
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Does anyone else usually know?
Other relatives, friends, or neighbors may suspect
what is happening. Some may know what is happening,
but they may be afraid to become involved. Or they may
not know how to report the problem.
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Do some elderly
abuse or neglect themselves?
Ohio statistics show more than half of all reports of
elder abuse involve elderly who abuse or neglect
themselves. This often happens among elderly who
live alone.
The elderly person may:
*Live on an improper diet.
*Refuse or be unable to eat.
*Refuse to seek medical care.
*Refuse or be unable to follow the orders of doctors.
*Misuse alcohol or medicines.
*Wish to die, consciously or subconsciously.
Elderly persons may keep living alone though it places
them at risk. They may refuse or be unable to move to
the home of a child or relative or to a nursing home.
This presents a problem for family and friends. It is
hard to decide where the rights of the elderly to choose
their own life-styles end and the responsibility of family,
friends, or community begins. Although adult children
are not currently legally responsible for their parents,
most feel they are morally.
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Who is legally responsible for
reporting
suspected abuse of the elderly?
Ohio law calls for certain professionals to report
any elder abuse to the county department of job
and family services (CDJFS) immediately. This
includes suspicion of abuse. Here is a listing of
these professionals from Ohio Revised Code
(ORC) Section 5101.61.
*Any attorney, physician, osteopath, podiatrist,
chiropractor, dentist or psychologist.
*Any employee of a hospital as defined in ORC
Section 3701.01.
*Any nurse licensed under ORC Chapter 4723.
*Any employee of an ambulatory health facility.
*Any employee of a home health agency.
*Any employee of an adult care facility as
defined in ORC Section 3722.01.
*Any employee of a community alternative
home as defined in ORC Section 3724.01.
*Any employee of a nursing home, rest home,
or home for the aging, as defined in ORC
Section 3721.01.
*Any senior service provider.
*Any peace officer, coroner, clergyman.
*Any employee of a community mental health
facility.
*Any person engaged in social work or counseling.
If any of these professionals have reason to believe
that an adult:
*Is being, abused, neglected, exploited, misused,
taken advantage of, or
is in a condition which is the result of abuse,
neglect, or exploitation, the professional
MUST immediately report such belief to
the CDJFS.
You don't have to be one of these professionals
to report elder abuse. If you suspect elder abuse,
contact your CDJFS. Look in the phone book for
"Job and Family Services Department" under
"Government Offices - County." The CDJFS
investigates all reports, even if you don't give your
name.
You can report elder abuse by phone, in person,
or in writing. If possible include:
*The name, address, and approximate age of the
elderly person.
*The name and address of anyone responsible for
the elderly person's care.
*The reason you suspect abuse, neglect, or
exploitation.
*The nature and extent of suspected abuse,
neglect or exploitation.
*Any other information known.
If you report elder abuse, you are immune
from civil and criminal liability under Ohio law.
(You are still liable for perjury or acting in bad faith
or with malicious intent.) An employer can't punish an
employee who files a report in any way.
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What happens after a report
is made?
In Ohio, each county's department of job and
family services is responsible for receiving and
investigating all reports. The CDJFS must begin
its investigation:
*Within 24 hours after it gets an emergency report
of abuse.
*Within three working days in other cases.
When it finishes the investigation, the CDJFS use
its findings to decide if the elderly person needs
protective services.
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Persons 60 or older need protective services if they are,
or are suspected to be, suffering from abuse, neglect, or
exploitation. They must be suffering to an extent that:
*Either their lives are in danger
*or they receive, are likely to receive:
*Physical harm.
*Mental pain.
*Mental illness.
Where money is available, protective services can
include such services are:
*Counseling and casework services.
*Medical care.
*Mental health services.
*Home health care.
*Homemaker services.
*Help with food, clothing, or shelter.
*Money management.
*Housing related services.
*Guardianship services.
*Placement services.
*Legal services.
*Adult day care services.
The problems of the abused elderly can be medical,
social, legal, or a combination of these. A team
approach is often the best way to solve these problems.
The CDJFS may supply some services. It may arrange
for community agencies to supply other services.
Protective services works look at each elderly person's
situation to decide what services to choose. Workers try
to choose services that will improve the situation while
giving the elderly person the most freedom possible.
Putting the elderly person in an institution is usually the
choice of resort.
Professionals and concerned citizens need to work
together to protect elderly at risk and help them and
their families.