Elderly Abuse on the Rise

[Pearl]

The number of Americans 65 and over is projected to nearly double by 2030 because of the 74 million baby boomers born in 1946-64, and the number of people 85 and over is increasing at an even faster rate. The number of seniors being abused, exploited or neglected every year is often estimated at about 2 million, judging by available statistics and surveys, but experts say the number could be much higher. Some research indicates that 1 in 10 seniors have suffered some form of abuse at least once.
"That's a big number," said Sharon Merriman-Nai, project director of the Clearinghouse on Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly, based at the University of Delaware. "It's a huge issue, and it's just going to get bigger."
Recognition of and mechanisms for dealing with elder abuse are many years behind strides that have been made in child abuse awareness and protection, experts say.
Getting comprehensive numbers of the abused is complicated, experts say, because the vast majority of cases go unreported out of embarrassment, fear of being cut off from family – most abuse is at the hands of relatives – or confusion about what has happened.
Abuse sometimes comes to light only by chance. County-level adult protective services caseworkers can get anonymous tips. In one recent Ohio case, a hair stylist noticed her elderly client was wincing in pain and got her to acknowledge she had been hit in the ribs by a relative. Another Shalom Center patient was referred by sheriff's detectives who said his son beat him.
"Are these older people going to be allowed to live their lives the way they deserve to?" said Carol Silver Elliott, CEO of the Cedar Village retirement community, of which the Shalom Center is a part. "We really are not addressing it as a society the way we should."
The Obama administration has said it has increased its focus on protecting American seniors by establishing a national resource center and a consumer protection office, among other steps. But needs are growing at a time when government spending on social services is being cut on many levels or not keeping up with demand.
In Ohio, slowly recovering from the recession, budgets have been slashed in such areas as staffs that investigate elderly abuse cases.

New York City started its Elder Abuse Center to 2009 to bring a multi-organization approach to the problem, saying nearly 100,000 older people are abused in their homes in the city alone. While he was Ohio's attorney general, Richard Cordray, now director of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, initiated in 2009 the state Elder Abuse Commission, something current Attorney General Mike DeWine has continued.
The commission has focused on training and education and hopes to launch a public awareness campaign this year, said Ursel McElroy, the longtime adult protection services investigator who leads it. The commission also has been pushing for legislation to improve legal protection and abuse prevention, expand training, and improve statistical data.

Elder Abuse Leads To Rise In Seniors Seeking Care At Shelters

Stories like this break my heart. I think it's time to bring attention to elderly abuse and make it as important as child abuse. Senior citizens either have memory problems, or mobility and sensory problems, or both, and that they can make easy targets for cruel people. They're defenseless in so many ways, and people can be so evil.

It has happened to relatives of mine, though not on the same scale as others. My grandmother had a nurse come to her house during the week, and that nurse eventually started treating the place like it was hers. She bought her own food and started decorating the house her way. My mother had her dismissed.

My uncle had a similar problem where a nurse was likely stealing money from him.

The reason why elderly abuse upsets me so much is because my parents are in their early 70s, and their health is declining naturally. It makes me nervous if I have to put them in a nursing home sooner than expected. They always said they'll never end up in one because they'll be fine, but in the past year, it is clear they are aging. So I'm wondering lately if I'll have to start looking for a home for them in a few years. BTW, I'm on the health care proxy, so it would be up to me.

I just think it is horrible that elderly abuse takes place. These are our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, you name it. Do they really deserve to spend the last years of their lives with maltreatment and fear? If I were to put my parents in a nursing home and they are treated poorly, the guilt of having not found a better one would weigh heavily on my conscience. I would feel the same if a visiting nurse mistreated them. My parents and I may have difficulties, but I still wouldn't want to live like that.

So, I am posting this to raise elderly abuse awareness. As many countries see an increase of aging people in the near future, this will become an important issue for all of us.

[Jive Turkey]

I guess nobody cares about these old farts after all....

[the iron horse]

Not many, it seems, care about the ones about to enter
the world, but have their lives stolen.

Very sad both ways.

[Jive Turkey]

7/10 for creativity

[Pearl]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

Not many, it seems, care about the ones about to enter
the world, but have their lives stolen.

Very sad both ways.

This thread is about elderly abuse. Please don't hijack it. There are other threads that talk about abortion, go there.

[the iron horse]

Originally Posted by Pearl

This thread is about elderly abuse. Please don't hijack it. There are other threads that talk about abortion, go there.

I'm not.

I was just expressing my first thoughts.

[Pearl]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

I'm not.

I was just expressing my first thoughts.


Sorry for the intrusion.

No problem, I just want to maintain what this thread was intended for before it veers off course later.

[Jive Turkey]

It's about the geezers, mate