Geriatric Care: Sexual Abuse among the Elderly - Essay Example

"Geriatric Care: Sexual Abuse among the Elderly" is an excellent example of a paper on the health system.
As the number of aging Americans grows, geriatric care is fast catching up with social and healthcare providers. The Department of Health and Human Sciences (2014) notes that the population of those above 65 years of age will continue to grow until it peaks at 20% of the entire US population by 2050. Owing to this incessant growth in this particular section of the population, there has been increased investment in elder care. As the effort for healthcare provision is intensified, there has been a growing challenge to cope with the individual needs of this group in society. Reports of neglect and abuse of the elderly have been mounting, which exposes the little attention that they receive in our homes and in the homes for the elderly. The threats of neglect and abuse to the elderly have lately become an important topic of discussion, with broad research going into them.

The Department of Health and Human Sciences (2014), defines elder abuse and neglect as the intentional actions of others that either harm or create risk for harm to the elderly. They are sometimes attributed to the least expected perpetrators (caregivers both at home and in nursing homes). Further, the department notes that up to 10% of elders are abused, citing studies carried out in 2012 and 2013. However, nursing care institutions have recorded higher percentages of abuse among the elderly, with up to 95% indicating that they had at some point experienced or witnessed another elder being abused (Department of Health and Human Sciences (2014).

Of all the cases of abuse, neglect appears to be the most prevalent (at 50% of all recorded incidents) Department of Health and Human Sciences (2014). Sexual abuse is, however, reported to be more traumatizing and has some of the most profound negative effects on the health and wellbeing of an elder (Hawks, 2006). Hawks noted that the percentage of cases of sexual abuse among the elders has not been established correctly due to the limited attention accorded to the vice. However, it is already known that victims of elder abuse are three times more likely to die prematurely compared to the non-abused (Gibbs & Mosqueda, 2004). In this paper, I have reviewed some of the mechanisms involved in identifying, intervening, and preventing sexual abuse among the elders in society.

Signs and Symptoms of Sexual Abuse among the Elders

Hawks (2006) identified a number of the many signs and symptoms that victims of elder abuse could portray. While some are physical, it is even more difficult to realize them, especially if the injury is covered by the clothes and the victim is unwilling to talk about them. For instance, a pelvic injury may be difficult to see. However, the victim may show difficulties trying to sit or walk. This is especially important for nurses and other care providers to keep watching since it is the next best hint to abuse after verbal disclosure.

When elders develop sexually transmitted diseases that they did not initially have, it raises the question of how they could have acquired them. As such, it serves as a sign of sexual abuse and should be investigated further. Furthermore, the victims may have a pelvic injury or even genital or anal pain. The fact that most of the victims fear stigmatization to the extent they can hardly disclose the abuses demands that the nursing professionals keep closely monitoring them for any hints of these signs.

Other signs are more psychological than social, and they are therefore only observable through character monitoring. For instance, victims of sexual abuse will often have panic attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder. Equally, victims will tend to be aggressive, behave inappropriately, or show unusual sexual behaviors (Hawks, 2006). The victims may also tend to show greater agitation, withdrawal symptoms, or even appear to be forming sexual relationships with their abusers. At the extreme, they will attempt to commit suicide (Gibbs & Mosqueda, 2004).

Interventions to Sexual Abuse among Elders

Possible interventions at any point need to have been certified by the institution within which the nursing officer is working. Some of the possible interventions include:

Counseling

Counseling a victim will usually create an avenue for them to disclose vital details of their attackers, and the way the actions were perpetrated, how long they have been undergoing the abuse, and provide necessary details for treatment. Counseling is usually offered by counselors, and the institution is supposed to hire such for critical moments like in the case of sexual abuse.

Medical Treatment

Medical treatment is necessary to cure the physical damage/ harm caused by the abusers. It should be the first step once the victim discloses their state to the nurse. Besides offering a cure, it also helps the victim to regain confidence after interacting with the medics. Thereafter, it becomes much easier to extract vital information from them so that the perpetrators can be pursued.

Legal Follow-up

Treating and counseling the victim is not enough – the victim should be reported to authorities for necessary legal action. This will possibly reduce the number of such abusers, keep some more potential ones at bay, and help the victim to feel protected as is necessary.