Elder Abuse and Neglect - Essay Example

"Elder Abuse and Neglect" is a marvelous example of a paper on social and family issues.
The problem of abuse is rampant throughout society. Abuse occurs whenever a person who has more power tries to control someone with less power by means that are not healthy for the victim. Abuse is a power problem where victimizers choose people who are vulnerable to exploitation. Abuse of the elderly is highly unreported with an estimate of as many as 23 cases going without intervention to every one case that is reported to authorities (APA, n.d.). The problem of elderly abuse runs throughout society and crosses socioeconomic boundaries, creating a situation where intervention is difficult and consequences of intervention can lead to a lower quality of life and a shorter lifespan.

Elder abuse occurs across a wide range of different types of aggressive behavior. Abuse can range from anything that physically abuses the victim to financial abuse and exploitation. Violence against the elderly can range from slapping to severe beatings, sometimes including the use of restraints. Elder abuse that takes the form of violence is defined by the unnecessary application of pain or injury. This can even occur with the intention of helping them, but the result is that they have been assaulted in a way that was not necessary to the action that was trying to be taken. Elder abuse can also take the form of sexual abuse which ranges from exhibitionism to rape. The humiliation of physical abuse, or even more so sexual abuse, means that these crimes often go unreported (APA, n.d.).

Elder abuse can also take the form of verbal, psychological, or emotional abuse. Giving silent treatment is one way to abuse another person just as much as verbal harassment. Any form of communication that attempts to control another person is abusive. Psychological abuse can often manifest as physical abuse and can come in the form of neglect. By neglecting to give the appropriate care, a person is abusing someone who does not have the defenses or the ability to change the situation. Neglect can be seen as refusing to provide for the basic needs of an older person or it can also be seen as neglecting to pay the bills or manage the person’s life responsibly. Neglecting to give care can create physical problems and/or psychological problems depending on the form that the neglect takes. This can also lead to financial abuse and exploitation where the money that an older person has which is intended to take care of them is used by a caregiver in ways that do not benefit the elderly person in their care. This can include denying access to funds as much as using those funds in inappropriate ways. Scams against the elderly are also a form of elder abuse.

Elder abuse can be divided into domestic abuse and institutional abuse. Domestic abuse occurs within a personal relationship between the elderly person and someone in their life. Institutional abuse refers to any mistreatment that occurs inside a residential facility by someone who is legally responsible for care and protection (NCEA, n.d.). Abuse should be reported and is mandated to be recorded by professionals such as medical staff, clergy, and anyone who assumes responsibility for an elderly person. It is considered a crime not to report elderly abuse in the state of California under California Welfare and Institutions Code section 15630 (State of California Department of Justice, n.d.).

The consequences of elderly abuse can be significant. The lifespan of those who are experiencing abuse tends to be shorter than those who are not abused (APA, n.d.). Abuse can contribute to the deterioration of the mind of someone who is older, just as it will affect children and actually anyone else who is abused. In an elderly state, people are subject to chronic conditions that can cause cognitive difficulties which are exacerbated by abuse. No one should be abused, but abusing the elderly is a unique form of disrespect that is applied in order to create power over someone who has lost capacities because of age.