Elderly abuse can take a variety of forms including physical, sexual, mental, financial, and neglect. The abuser can be anyone; a caregiver, family member, other patients, or self-inflicted. Recent research states that prevalence of elder abuse in long-term care ranges from 2% to 10% (Connor et al., 2011). According to Shaffer, Williamson, & Dooley (2007), the vulnerability of abuse can be directly related to mental illness, such as dementia, as well as the depression or resentment of caregivers. Kohl, Sanders, & Blumenthal (2012) define the populations at risk as frail elders, those with dementia, and families with a history of violence.
If you suspect abuse you must record what has lead to this suspicion, find out any information you can in order to help determine if this is the truth, you must inform other carers, your manager, the individuals care manager and the relevant authorities to ensure that this suspicion to be investigated as soon as possible. For example, an individual I care for with learning disabilities and epilepsy made a phone call to the organisation I work in around 10pm and informed me that she was going out, as it is her right to chose when and where she goes I could not tell her she could not do so, instead I asked where she was going, she informed me she was going to a party at a friends house, I then tried to obtain information about where her friends
Mandated Reporters are persons who, as a result of their profession, are more likely to be aware of abuse or neglect of persons with disabilities. Mandated Reporters are required by law to report cases of suspected abuse to the Disabled Persons Protection Commission (DPPC) when they have a suspicion that a person with a disability is suffering from a reportable condition of abuse or neglect. Other persons who are not mandated to report may choose to file reports of suspected abuse.
Many people are supported in their homes by people who work along side the health and social care service such as social workers,nursers ,doctor and care givers or they may get support from their family members and friends. An elderly person may choose to stay in their own homes instead of a residential care home while seeking help and support from others,however this can lead to potential opportunities for abuse happening to the person who Is being looked after. When an individual is getting support at home by a carer, the individual being cared for is vulnerable and defenseless and therefor this makes them a target for abuse,another example is abuse by strangers,when an elderly person lives alone they are at risk of people calling at the door and then gaining access to their homes,they may steal items from them or mistreat them or cause intimidation.
All individuals have the entitlement to living their lives exempt from aggression or any type of abuse. Circumstances of abuse at senior individuals frequently appear publicly although several occurrences of abuse could likewise go unannounced. Safeguarding older people is ever more recognized as a serious matter for society, with ongoing exposure of abusive and unjust systems and practices that defy social care practices and those who labor with adult deemed as at risk (previously referred to as vulnerable) (Scragg & Mantell, 2011). The above change resulted, as the terminology 'vulnerable adult ' was perceived as negatively meaning that the abused adult is partially responsible of the abuse occurring to him/her (Mandelstam, 2011).
Assisted living facilities are one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. Unfortunately, assisted living facilities have a history of being problematic. Specific cases from the movie Life and Death in Assisted Living Facilities indicates that assisted living facilities are often under staffed, poorly trained, and often admit elderly patients who are not qualified candidates for their facilities (Byker and Thompson, 2013). When taking this in to account, it is important to consider why families may admit their loved ones in to assisted living facilities. Hillier and Barrow (2015), associate problems of caregiving with the responsibility itself, the caregivers personal health, role strains, strained family relationships, ect. With all of this strain on an informal caregiver it seems most beneficial to the caregiver and the elderly individual to consider admittance in to an assisted living facility. Once a basis has been established as to why an elderly person is admitted in to an assisted living facility, further insight shall be established to denote what is considered elder abuse. In this movie, Life and Death in Assisted Living Facilities, several
abuse: When the service user lives with the carer, it may increase the chances for abuse to occur as this situation may cause stress and resentment if the carer feels he/she cannot cope. Not properly trained staff who do not receive any supervision or support at work, as well as stressed staff who are going through personal problems, or who do not like working in the care sector, may increase the risk of an individual being abused. In addition, patients who are not mobile, are confused, suffer from dementia or are aggressive or challenging, may also present an increase for the risk of an individual being abused, since the carer
This act created a major revision of standards of care for nursing homes. This legislation also changed the expectations and the quality of care that patients should receive in long term care facilities. This Nursing Home Reform Act passed by congress specifically stated “that each residents have the right to be free from any physical or chemical restraints imposed for purposes of discipline or convenience and not required to treat the resident’s medical symptoms”. While there may be some benefits to using restraints in nursing homes, however, studies have shown that using restraints in nursing homes negatively impacts patients and for the most part does not prevent them from falling or from other incidents that may occur. There are very high levels of risks associated with the use of restraints (Lapane,150). The OBRA act has encouraged providers to use other alternatives and methods other than restraint because it has been proven to be quite harmful. There are various risked associated with restraints and of these risk include patients potentially patients even losing their lives. Because of the nature of the restraint on patients, patients sometimes end up losing muscle and bone density which then results to immobility and immobility itself results in loss of endurance and muscle strength (Lane 2008). When a patient has lost endurance and muscle strength, they have problems
3.1 “Use a case study from a health or social care setting to identify the extent to which individuals are at risk of harm”.
It is important when working in a health and social care environment that service providers are able to recognise or identify people who are at risk of suffering from abuse or neglect. Some abusers are aware the care worker’s role. This role is to make sure that they are able to report concerns and will make user that they don’t abuse or neglect a service user in front of others. In addition to this, it is important that a service provider is able to spot of there has been any changes in behaviour in a certain service user who they are giving help to. However, for a service provider to be able to spot changes in a service users personality they will need to get to know and understand them, they
Hawes, Catherine. “Elder Abuse in Residential Long-Term Care Settings: What is Known and What Information is Needed?” Elder Mistreatment: Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation in an Aging America., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Jan. 1970, Accessed 26 Feb.
By the end of Confronting Elderly Abuse in America, I was crying and upset. I felt so bad for the victims, and I couldn’t believe that so many people could hurt the elderly. I believe the state stated in the documentary was that nearly 90% are abused by someone they know. It’s devastating to know that those being abused put so much trust in the ones they love without knowing their loved ones are abusing their power. Although, the majority of elderly abuse cases are caused by a loved one or caregiver there are those cases that person abused was picked at random like husband’s grandma.
This paper includes a discussion and analysis of nursing sensitive indicators (NSI) and system specific resources. Identification of indicators and interventions could improve the care that was received by Mr. J., a 72 year old retired rabbi with mild dementia that was admitted for a fractured right hip after falling at home. In the course of his stay and treatment there were a few indicators of issues/problems regarding the care he received during his stay. These issues/problems might affected his healthcare outcome, safety and satisfaction with his stay at the
In the UK, over five hundred thousand abuse against elderly people occurred each year. These abuses can occur anywhere, including in someone own home, residential home or hospital.
Efforts to confirm the existence of elderly abuse are, without doubt, ambiguous in the present and incomprehensible in in the past. Many find it difficult to believe how widespread and recurrent the issue is. Elder abuse is a tragedy that affects the elderly of all cultures, social settings, religions, physical abilities and of both genders. It can be defined as "a single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person or violates their human and civil rights". A report by the Abuse and Neglect of older people in Ireland provided initial statistics on elder abuse and neglect. The statistics showed that over 10,000 people over