05/25/2022
5 Types of Elder Abuse
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse constitutes the use of physical force, which may result in bodily injury, illness, physical pain, impairment or even death. This includes acts such as hitting, pushing, shoving, shaking, slapping, kicking, pinching and burning.
Psychological Abuse
Emotional and psychological elder abuse can be difficult to detect since they do not leave visible marks like physical abuse often does. The NCEA defines this type of abuse as “the infliction of anguish, pain, or distress through verbal or nonverbal acts including, but not limited to, verbal assaults, insults, threats, intimidation, humiliation, isolation, and harassment.”
Financial Abuse
The illegal or improper use of an older adult's assets constitutes financial elder abuse. Abusive actions might include cashing a senior’s social security or pension checks without permission, stealing money or property from the elder, coercing or deceiving the elder into parting with property or signing documents, or misusing power of attorney, conservatorship or guardianship.
Neglect
Neglect occurs when a caregiver fails to adequately provide a senior with basic necessities like food, water, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene, medication or medical care, and safety.
This may occur when a caregiver unintentionally fails to provide adequate care, or it may happen when a caregiver lacks the knowledge about how to provide the care. Abandonment, a subtype of this form of elder abuse, may occur when a caregiver is unable to cope with the stresses of caregiving.
Sexual Abuse
Yes, unfortunately this happens to older adults. Sexual contact or interaction of any kind without a senior’s consent or with a senior who is unable to give consent is considered sexual abuse.
