Elder/Adult abuse is becoming a large problem, affecting hundreds of thousands of vulnerable citizens in the United States. For the most part, elder abuse is seldom reported and some experts believe that only 1 of every 14 victims actually report abuse to the authorities.
- Elder/adult abuse victims generally consist of:
- Substance abusers
- Chronically mentally disabled
- Developmentally disabled
- Weak elderly
- Physically impaired
The different types of elder abuse conform to the following:
Physical abuse: non-accidental force exerted physically on an elderly person that results in injury or impairment (i.e. shoving, pushing, hitting, inappropriate application of drugs and restraints)
Emotional abuse: verbal abuse that cause depression, emotional pain or distress. This abuse can be applied through intimidation, humiliation, ignoring the victim, and isolation.
Sexual abuse: physical actions or contact with an elder without their consent. These actions include forcing the elder to undress, perform physical sex acts, or to show pornographic material.
Neglect: not fulfilling the obligations to properly care for the elder. This kind of abuse take many forms including, but not limited to, failure to provide adequate staff to provide nutrition and hydration, hygienic care, medications, prevent bedsores to develop, failure to supervise and protect against others, etc. "Neglect" can be intentional or unintentional under the law. This occurs in more than half of all reported elder abuse cases.
Many victims do not report their abuse for a given number of reasons. Some feel that their abuser may retaliate. Furthermore, victims may feel like they will not have anyone else to take care of them if they turn in his or her caregiver. However, it is important to call a local agency or inform a doctor about your abuse. If you are unsure if you are being abused or not, call Berglund & Johnson, and a representative will help determine if you have a case. Berglund & Johnson will aggressively represent you or your loved one in an effort to obtain compensation to a secure and content life thereafter.