ELDERLY PEOPLE ABUSE
Abuse is when a person harms another person or does self-harm.
Old age people are subjected to more abuse but due to less reporting and lack of awareness about the rights of old people especially in developing nations and rural areas of the countries, the most aged groups are forced to live a life which is of low quality.
Today it’s important for aged group people to understand that as human beings they have some rights and it’s the responsibility of the family members and the government of the country to help them have a good quality of life.
Abuse is mostly considered when a person causes physical harm to another person but abuse can be of many types which are discussed below:
1) PHYSICAL ABUSE:
This is the most commonly noted type of abuse. It can be caused by slapping, pushing, punching, hitting with a sharp or blunt object, not giving food or medicines in time, or any other act by the person to cause harm to the aged person.
Signs and symptoms :
A) Abrasion – It is damage or injury caused superficially to the skin layer due to blunt objects.
B) Laceration- It is a deep injury or cut caused by a sharp object.
C) Bruises – Change in skin color to red or black after any injury.
D) Fracture- When the injury leads to crack, break, or dislocation in the bone.
E) Burn mark –which can be from small burns to more severe and life-threatening burns.
F) Low weight due to limited food – a person who is having severely low weight in the absence of any serious disease which is preventing weight gain.
G) Pain – It can be in any part of the body due to injuries.
EVALUATION FOR PHYSICAL ABUSE-
A) To evaluate physical abuse it is important to talk with elderly people in an alone but comfortable environment. They should be asked about any physical harm caused to them by their family members or caregivers. It is important to match the history of the elderly person’s suffering and the history of care given to the person by the family members or the caregiver and note for any contradiction between the two.
B) After talking to the elderly person, the investigating person should start a physical examination after taking the consent. It is important to look for any marks of injury on the body or any tenderness elicited during physical examination. All physical injuries should be checked and differentiated from the injuries that can be due to accidentally falling or burning.
C) Medical records should be checked to see if they are given proper and regular medical treatment and if medicines are given regularly.
D) Weight measurements should be done and previous weight records should be checked to find if any serious weight change occurred within the last few months without any serious illness.
2) MENTAL ABUSE:
It can be due to constant verbal or physical harm to the elderly person. Sometimes the family members or caregiver constantly shout or lock them in one room as punishment. These things can have negative effects on them and are considered to cause mental abuse.
A mentally abused person will be hesitant to talk to anyone, will be sitting alone or spend most of the time sleeping, or on the opposite will be not able to sleep and will show more signs of depression.
EVALUATION OF MENTAL ABUSE:
A) Ask about the aged person’s friends to see how many friends they have and how regularly they meet with the friends.
B) Daily routine should be enquired to note the physical activity of the person and that history should be matched with the statement from the caregivers or family members to find the true mental status.
C) verbal abuse from family members or caregivers should be enquired about because it can lead to fear and depression.
3) FINANCIAL ABUSE:
It is seen in many cases that the family members or caregivers steal money or take full financial control over the aged people and do not provide them any financial support which worsens the quality of life of the person.
EVALUATION OF FINANCIAL ABUSE:
A) It should be checked if the person is living with the family or in any old age home. And if in old age home then where are the family members and how often do they visit?
B) utility bill payments should be checked.
C) Important life-saving medicines if prescribed by the doctor are regularly purchased or not.
D) Food quantity and quality should be checked.
E) Clean clothes and daily use materials like toothpaste, and soap are checked.
F) It is important to ask if the family members or caregivers steal money from them.
PREVENTION OF ABUSE IN THE ELDERLY –
1) It is important to make strict laws against people who are involved in abusing old people.
2) Family members should take care of aged parents.
3) Proper training should be given to the staff of old age homes to provide care to old age people without abusing them in any form.
4) Elderly people should be informed about the rights they have and in case of emergency, they should be able to contact emergency services.
5) People should try to help the aged people living alone in their neighborhood.
6) Special attention is needed for old people with disabilities because some of them will be not able to express the problems they are facing. So proper medical check-ups should be done for any signs of physical abuse
7) Some aged people who are living away from their families or who do not having anyone to take care of can start harming themselves. so it is important to pay extra attention to them.
STAY SAFE AND HELP AGED PEOPLE.
