Every day elders in our community are being abused at the hands of those they love more then strangers.
What is Elder Abuse?
The measure of a society is how we treat our most vulnerable sectors. Abuse has a face, a name and lives next door to you without you even knowing it!
What most people don’t understand is that elder abuse is no different then child abuse. It comes in many forms and is on the rise. Most people think of elder abuse as slapping or hitting your grandparent but truth is it is much more then this. Many in our society turn a blind eye to its existence or are mortified to even suggest such a thing would take place….
Abuse is defined and exists as physical, mental, emotional, and financial as well as neglect. For the most part we understand the physical side of abuse – slapping, punching, kicking… how about tearing ones skin by being too rough – as we age our skin become paper thin and requires special care… lack of knowledge about appropriate skin care or lack of caring can lead to many detrimental health issues.
Mental & emotional abuse can be defined as yelling or screaming at someone, calling them names.. How about not listening to someone, how about leaving them in the dark regarding their own care, talking above them like they weren’t in the room, telling someone they are a burden or if they didn’t have to care for them their lives would be so much better.. How about telling someone you wish they would just die! This is abuse.
Neglect alone has many levels such as depriving an elder of proper nutrition, leaving someone sitting in their own excrement and not changing them, not providing the proper home temperature, no proper bathing assistance, the lack of support – no human contact, the lack of proper equipment to assist someone in their activities of daily living, proper healthcare, dental care and so much more…..
Depression and loneliness can result from aging itself as all your friends and even your spouse dies.. as your family grows up and gets busy with their own lives or moves away… this can leave an elderly person as easy pray for those just waiting to take advantage and can lead to numerous physical health issues.
Facts that indicate elder abuse is on the rise in our community due to
· An entire society not ready to take on the responsibility of the huge numbers of baby boomers about to turn 65
· Not enough programs ready for this huge shift in our society to carry the burden of the largest sector of our population as seniors
· Lack of government funding into programs to assist seniors and families to adjust
· lack of support systems to help us care for our elders,
· lack of education as to how to care for our elders
· lack of education about what elder abuse is,
· the strain on families due to lack of funding to help them care for their elders,
· the financial burden caring for seniors places on families already in a weak economy
· lack of beds available in nursing homes
· exorbitant prices charged by retirement homes with little personal care assistance
· lack of day programs available for seniors that require special assistance such as toileting, ambulatory help, medication assistance
· lack of respite beds available to give families a break – little or no caregiver relief
· lack of funds available to outfit a home with appropriate mobility aids, bathing aids and equipment to assist in making caring for an elderly person easier
· lack of support groups to assist caregivers in transitioning to this new stage in their own lives
· having to adjust your life to care for elderly parents and children, earn a living and live your own life leaves little down time
· having to keep up with elders many life appointments as well as medical appointments which increase as we age and still keep our own schedules adds tremendous stress to our lives
Does Elder Abuse really exist and if so is there anything we can do about it as an individual or as a community?
YES and YES!
By educating oneself on the importance of appropriate care for our seniors, we prepare ourselves for changes in our own lives with our parents and are more adept at prevention and care for ourselves.
By participating in the prevention we front end load the solution so when the times comes when the biggest portion of our population is senior we are prepared. We can alleviate some of the issues that may arise as a result of lack of preparation. We are more open to see when abuse is taking place, we are ready to act because with education comes confidence to do the right thing.
A community that stands together to care for their elderly is a community that will thrive as it ages… WE all have a place in our world every day as each one of ages, we are useful, we can contribute and our legacy as a society depends on our ability to respect the past in order to move forward.
Participate, volunteer, educate yourself, share the knowledge with others and be a part of the change…
For more info go to: Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
by Tina Dezsi, CEO T&E HealthPros Inc. & Full Life Integrated Healthcare Centre
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