Posted on 08/19/2017 10:51:41 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
‘It is no longer unusual for us to live to be as old as 80, 90 and 100 years or more’
WASHINGTON, DC – Reports of physical and financial abuse of the elderly are on the rise throughout the country. It’s a crime that, experts say, is largely under-reported. But, a new light needs to be shed on this dirty little secret, says Dan Weber, president of the Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC].
“Older Americans are easy targets in most cases. Many of them depend on caregivers for survival and that makes them beholden and vulnerable. It also can make them reluctant to let anyone know what is happening to them. You’d think that friends and family would be the first to notice that an aging neighbor or relative is being abused. But, the sad fact is that in too many cases it is a family member or a friend that is perpetrating the abuse.”
It’s up to “those of us with a conscience,” says Weber, to root out any instances of ill treatment. The alarming truth is that for each case of abuse that is reported there are dozens more that are not.
The Elder Justice Roadmap project, supported by the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services, has a broad-ranging definition of elder abuse: “physical, sexual, or psychological abuse, as well as neglect, abandonments, and financial exploitation of an older person by another person or entity, that occurs in any setting (e.g. home, community, or facility), either in a relationship where there is an expectation of trust and/or when an older person is targeted based on age or disability.”
If you suspect that someone whom you know is the victim of abuse, check it out. Signs of physical abuse are obvious. They include unexplained injuries including new bruises and abrasions. If you notice that an aging relative or friend is making too many trips to the bank or is suddenly running up mysterious charges on a credit card, he or she may be a victim of fraud. And, if you notice unusual weight loss or curious behavior, they could be signs of neglect or emotional abuse.
Nursing homes get most of the blame for elder abuse. But in too many cases, according to the National Center on Elder Abuse, the perpetrators are family members.
“Elder abuse is a much too pervasive problem in America where three and a half million men and women celebrate their 65th birthdays each and every year. And, where each year more people live longer than ever before. It is no longer unusual for us to live to be as old as 80, 90 and 100 years or more these days thanks to healthier lifestyles and the miracle of modern medicine. But, with age come new vulnerabilities that can make any of us susceptible to the crimes of angry and greedy predators. And, that’s why it is up to younger friends and family – those who truly care – to keep a watchful eye open for anomalies that indicate older loved ones may be victims.”
ABOUT AMAC
The Association of Mature American Citizens [http://www.amac.us] is a vibrant, vital senior advocacy organization that takes its marching orders from its members. We act and speak on their behalf, protecting their interests and offering a practical insight on how to best solve the problems they face today. Live long and make a difference by joining us today at http://amac.us/join-amac.
Most of today’s younger folks don’t value the wisdom and sometimes fragile state of the elderly.
Imagine the guy/gal standing behind a fast food service counter involved in the care of your elderly loved one.
Twenty years ago, you could picture this, without much reservation. Today? Not so much.
There is a type of reverse abuse they don’t talk about. If you live to 100 and you are old, senile and mean, one’s rantings can be very abusive to family members who feel obligated to take care of older parents. The abuse can go both ways.
With Age Comes New Vulnerabilities That Can Make Any of Us Susceptible to Elder Abuse, says AMAC.
i have a relative who bullied/guilted his mom into total control. POA, access to all her $$, a new will giving him everything.
We all tried to help her out , but she was embarrassed i guess. She would not lift a finger to help herself.
She was as strong as they come when she was younger but her kids were her soft spot.
Really? What kind of person resents someone who is senile?
People who take care of the elderly are not in their twenties. It’s usually middle-aged people (women) in families and women in nursing homes. Look around the supermarket the next time you go in. You’ll see tired, middle-aged women with their elderly mothers buying groceries.
That’s very true. The elderly can be very angry and mean towards family members who care for them. Nursing home employees are very aware of this.
Get off the grass junior.
The alternative? All those assets go to leaches in the "caregiver" business. PS: unless you were a perfect child, I'm sure that old-timer put up with a lot from you!
My reputation was ruined (temporarily) by a dear friend who became senile. She told everyone that I was having an affair with her pastor and also her neighbor. Friends of 40 years stopped talking to me, store clerks wouldn’t wait on me. It still hurts.
If they are committing violence and other crimes against you, that is real abuse. If the elderly just toss fits, that is just loss of mental function. The young and healthy can take it w/o tossing fits themselves.
My fear as I get older is busybody social worker types.
I have a 90 yro father in law, as self centered and self absorbed as ever...he's given very little out in financial help, but most of all, he's never really showed much interest in his children or grandchildrens lives...yet they're still loyal to him, not out of love I assure you....
he won't go into a nursing home so instead expects his 87 wife to help him....
stubbornness and arrogance in the elderly is not a pretty sight, but because our society and our taxpayers have made life pretty easy for that age group, what with defined pensions,medicare, SS so far beyond what they put in, why wouldn't a person remain arrogant and stubborn?..
Life in this country was better when grandma and grandpa acted like grandma's and grandpa's instead of just old "friends"....
I still think of our grandma living with us....6 kids, sharing rooms, and beds, and yet grandma was able to have her own bedroom....she was a blessing....
Yes, my dad was like that. I REALLY REALLY wanted to help him, but after about five minutes around him I was ready to chew him out.
It is so difficult - you cannot help but take it personally.
I have a similar situation. They appear unable to enjoy their old age and instead create pain around them, just because they can. Very hard to explain to others that you aren’t the heartless one.
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