Abuse of the elderly

Many of the signs and symptoms of elder abuse overlap with symptoms of aging and may not be recognised as abuse immediately. However, changes in personality, appearance or behaviour of the older person should not be ignored as merely signs of old age.

Where does elder abuse take place?

Elder abuse normally takes place where the senior lives: most often in the home, where abusers are likely to be adult children, other family members such as grandchildren, or spouses/partners of older persons. Institutional settings, especially long-term care facilities, can also be sources of elder abuse.

Different types of elder abuse

The most common types of elder abuse are as follows:

Physical abuse

Physical elder abuse is the non-accidental use of force against an elderly person that results in physical pain, injury or impairment. Such abuse includes not only physical assaults, such as hitting or shoving, but the inappropriate use of medicine, restraints or confinement.

Emotional abuse

In emotional or psychological senior abuse, people speak to or treat elderly persons in ways that cause emotional pain or distress.

Verbal forms of emotional elder abuse include:

• • Intimidation through yelling or threats

• • Humiliation and ridicule

• • Blaming or scapegoating.

Non-verbal psychological elder abuse can take the form of:

• • Ignoring the person

• • Isolating him/her from friends or activities

• • Terrorising the elderly person.

Sexual abuse

Sexual elder abuse is contact with an elderly person without his or her consent. Such contact can involve physical sex acts, but activities such as showing an elderly person pornographic material, forcing the person to watch sex acts, or forcing him or her to undress is also considered sexual elder abuse.

Neglect or abandonment by caregivers

Elder neglect, in other words failure to fulfil a caretaking obligation, constitutes more than half of all reported cases of elder abuse. It can be intentional or unintentional, based on factors such as ignorance or denial that an elderly charge needs as much care as he or she does.

Financial exploitation

This involves unauthorised use of an elderly person’s funds or property, either by a caregiver or an outside scam artist.

Healthcare fraud and abuse

Examples of healthcare fraud and abuse regarding seniors are as follows:

• • Overcharging or double-billing for medical care or services

• • Over-medicating or under-medicating

• • Recommending fake remedies for illnesses or other medical conditions.

Why does elder abuse occur?

Many non-professional caregivers – spouses, adult children, other relatives and friends – find taking care of a senior to be satisfying and fulfilling. But the responsibilities and demands of elder caregiving can also be extremely stressful. The stress can lead to mental and physical health problems that make caregivers impatient and unable to keep from lashing out against the seniors in their care.

Even caregivers in institutional settings can experience stress at levels that lead to elder abuse. Nursing home staff may be prone to elder abuse if they lack training, have too many responsibilities, are unsuited to caregiving, or work under poor conditions.

Preventing elder abuse and neglect

Family members and friends of elders should be sensitive for signs of tension between elders and their caregivers and intervene when elder abuse is suspected.

Public education and raising awareness are important elements in preventing abuse and neglect. The aim of such efforts is to inform the general public about the various types of abuse, how to identify the signs and symptoms of abuse and where help can be obtained.

 

Sources

South Africa. 2006. Older Persons Act 13. Department of Justice
South African Human Rights Commission. 2015. Investigative hearing into systemic complaints relating to the treatment of older persons. SAHRC.

 

Revised by M van Deventer