Elderly Abuse Happens More Than Is Often Realized

When a relative is living in a care home, or they are in a hospital, you expect them to be well looked after. You do not expect carers or other patients to take advantage of them or to treat them badly, but elderly abuse happens more than is often realized. It is not always professional people that abuse the elderly. It could be a friend or relative and happen in their own home.

What Causes Elderly Abuse?

The success in medical advances means that a higher proportion than ever of the US population is over 65. This in turn, has put an extra strain on the institutions that care for them, and more people are being encouraged to care for the elderly in their own homes.

As people get older, they can start to become frail and confused. This can be particularly bad if they are starting to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. The carers can become very frustrated with them, and whether they are professionally trained or not, this can lead to negligence or abuse.

There are signs that other people can watch for such as the elderly person’s behavior changing, if they appear to be frightened, physical marks like bruising or abrasions, or the carer’s refusal to allow visitors.  If anything at all concerns you about the condition of the elderly person you care about, you should talk to an elderly abuse attorney at Garcia Law.

Why Contact an Elderly Abuse Attorney?

If you suspect that an elderly person is being abused, contacting an elderly abuse attorney can lead to an investigation. This can put an immediate stop to the abuse, and make sure the perpetrator is held accountable for their actions. No one should get away with treating someone else badly.

Some Types of Abuse

The list of types of abuse that an elderly abuse attorney deals with is endless, but some of the most common ones are:

• Injuries – This could be burns, fractures, or maybe bowel and bladder injuries. The point is that the elderly person should be properly cared for, injuries should not happen.

• Neglect – Bedsores are a result of neglect, and so is malnutrition and dehydration. Untreated infections can cause the elderly person to become very ill when it possibly could have been quite simple to cure at the start.

• Restraints – Restraints should only be used in extreme circumstances. They can easily induce fear in the elderly and should not be in use daily.  Whether they are physical or chemical restraints, they should be a last resort for the patient’s safety.

• Financial Abuse– A confused elderly person is very vulnerable to financial fraud. It could be their own money that is fraudulently taken from them, or it could be that they are charged more than they should be for procedures and medication. It could even be that they are charged for treatment they have never received.

These, and all other forms of elder abuse can only be stopped if someone does something to prevent them, and that is where an elderly abuse attorney can help.