Elder Abuse: If We Don't Take Care of Each Other, Who Will?

Who would abuse an older person?  

A partner.  

A family member.  

A neighbor.  

A nurse.  

A minister. 

According to the U.S. Administration on Aging, Elder Abuse can happen to anyone and can occur anywhere — in a person’s own home, in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, even in hospitals. It affects elders across all socioeconomic groups, cultures, and races. 

Based on available information, women, elders who are home-bound or isolated, and individuals ages 80 and older are most at risk. 

Mistreatment is most often done by the individual’s own family members. 

Estimates of the number of older Americans abused each year range as high as 10 million with only 2.1 million of those cases reported. 

Abuse can come in many different forms: physical, emotional, financial, verbal, sexual – to name a few. 

Doing nothing to help, or neglect, is also abuse.

Learn more:  http://10thousandcouples.com/issue/july-2013/article/elder-abuse-if-we-don-t-take-care-of-each-other-who-will