Effects Of Elder Abuse

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Problem Statement
A current issue in society is the abuse of the elderly. Elder abuse is “a single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action that causes an older person harm or distress within any relationship in which there is an expectation of trust” (Touza 2017). It can severely reduce the quality of life for the elderly. In the United States, more than 4 in every 500 adults over the age of 60 experiences some form of elder mistreatment, however less than ten percent of abuse cases are reported, and as the elderly population increases, the cases of elder abuse increase as well (Friedman, Avila & Partida 2017). It is a traditional practice that younger generation are responsible for caring for the elderly, but sometimes the elderly may …show more content…

To expose current elderly abuse, health professionals must be educated about abuse and appropriately screen the elderly, because they are often the only caregivers the elderly will come into contact with outside of the home (Touza 2017). To prevent elder abuse, society must first expose the existing abuse to raise awareness, and educate the elderly, their families, and caregivers, if they are separate from the family (Kalayci 2016). Also, there must be resources provided to those family members or caregivers who are experiencing stress or frustration, so they can remain patient and helpful in taking care of the elderly (Friedman, Avila & Partida …show more content…

Aid must be provided for elderly adults who have previously been abused so it does not reoccur. Also, resources must be provided for families and caregivers to prevent stress and frustration due to caring for the elderly, especially with mental or memory health concerns. The articles used in the research for this paper provided useful information. “Perceptions of the Elderly on Elderly Abuse” provided survey information concerning elderly abuse in the point of view of the elderly. “Physical Abuse of Elderly Adults: Victim Characteristics and Determinants of Revictimization” was useful in providing information about the commonalities among cases of elderly abuse. “Influence of Health Personnel's Attitudes and Knowledge in the Detection and Reporting of Elder Abuse: An Exploratory Systematic” was useful in explaining how health professionals can play a role in preventing elderly

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