Studies: Elder Abuse is Widespread and Under-Reported

Elder abuse can be difficult to quantify because it involves an extremely vulnerable population. When a senior has lost the capability to report abuse, the chances of it being reported diminish substantially. Additionally, senior abuse often happens at the hands of trusted caretakers, and seniors may be reluctant to report it. Still, health care researchers have attempted to ferret out details about this problem so that society can better address it.

Elder abuse consists of various forms of injury or neglect to seniors, typically by their designated caretakers. This can take a wide range of forms. For example, elder abuse can entail physical abuse by their caretakers. It can also involve financial abuse, or exploiting an elder’s financial resources for personal gain. Elder abuse can even include neglect, depriving a person of basic necessities.

The perpetrators of senior neglect and abuse can involve anyone in a position of authority or trust. This can include relatives like spouses and adult children. It can also include volunteer or paid caretakers. It can even include outside scammers, such as those committing fraud against seniors. For example, many scammers target the elderly. This is because seniors often have substantial financial reserves in the form of nest eggs, or fixed income in the form of Medicare or VA benefits.

Due to the nature of elderly abuse, it can be hard for public health researchers to get a handle on the issue. First, the vast majority of cases go unreported. This is either because the victim has lost the capacity to report it, as with dementia, or they do not want to risk angering their abusers. Still, researchers have made some headway in quantifying the issue.

Unfortunately, elder abuse appears to be widespread. A study by Cooper, et al in the 2008 issue of Age and Aging found that nearly a quarter of vulnerable seniors suffered some for of elder abuse. Shockingly, the same research found that only 1% to 2% of cases were reported to any kind of protective services. The Cooper paper was a meta-study, a comparison of existing research studies to compare and contrast their results. This meta-study compared the results and methodology of 19 studies that met their standards for inclusion in the meta-study.

This abuse can have a number of serious consequences for elders. First, they may have physical injuries or other physical damage from their injuries. Additionally, they may suffer from severe stress, strain or depression from the situation. In fact, abuse can make seniors even more dependent on their caregivers.

Lawsuits have been filed against the alleged perpetrators of elder abuse. These elder abuse lawsuits seek to hold defendants accountable for their alleged misconduct against seniors.

Free Help for Victims of Elder Abuse, Nursing Home Neglect

If you or a loved one experienced abuse or neglect at a nursing home, assisted living facility or other board and care home within the past three years, you may be eligible to take legal action. Submit your information to a nursing home abuse lawyer who will make sure your loved one receives the compensation and care they deserve and help prevent the same injuries from happening to others.  There is no charge for this review. Get help today!