Essay Financial Abuse of the Elderly - 1225 Words

Elder Abuse is defined as any activity performed by an individual whereby these actions cause suffering of the older adult, intentionally or not (Touhy, Jett, Boscart McCleary, 2012, p. 378). Unfortunately, the incidents of elder abuse continue to rise with the increasing number of people entering older adulthood. It is interesting to note that although elder abuse is highly under reported its occurrence increased three fold over a ten-year period (Friese Collopy, 2010, p. 61). Certainly, it is a nurse’s duty to provide holistic care to his or her patients, which must include protection from abuse. Elder abuse can take on many forms including physical, emotional, sexual, neglect and financial. It is important to note that for the†¦show more content†¦There is no doubt that many elderly individuals will eventually need assistance with managing their finances, which includes making purchases on their behalf. Thus the older adult may provide their caregiver with cash, cheques and in some cases they may implement a power of attorney. Essentially, powers of attorney grant considerable power to named individuals, over both finances and property. Unfortunately, over time what evolves is an over spending of the older adults money solely benefiting the caregiver, moreover, these caregivers begin to develop a sense of entitlement (Gibson Honn Qualls, 2012, p. 27). When considering financial abuse committed by strangers, many simple scams against older adults have surfaced over the years. For example, individuals may offer handyman services, recognizing that many older adults struggle with chores such as exterior window washing. However once paid, the individuals do not return to complete the job. It is interesting to note that of all reported elder abuse cases, financial abuse makes up more than half of all complaints (Friese Collopy, 2010, p. 60). According to Yan Kwok (2010, p. 527), older adults who display some form of cognitive deficit are more likely to become victims of abuse than others; in fact those with dementia are at particular risk. Certainly, those with cognitive impairment could be perceived as easier targets due to the perception that they are mentally incompetent. However,Show MoreRelatedThe Ontario Network For The Prevention Of Elder Abuse953 Words   |  4 Pagesof Elder Abuse states that 10% of older adults are abused in some way; which is over 160,000 people in Ontario. Elderly abuse is categorized as the violence, mistreatment or neglect of an elderly person by caregivers, service providers, family, or even strangers (Canadian Government). A senior citizen can be abused physically, financially, psychologically, and rarely, sexually. The mistreatment is usually because of the influence a caregiver has over an older adult. The abuse on the elderly can happenRead MoreDifferent Types Of Abuses During The United States1736 Words   |  7 PagesDifferent Types of Abuses The advances in medicine have greatly benefitted the world at large. This can be seen largely in both the mortality and longevity rate which have dramatically increased as a result of medical advances. No other demographics have profited from these medical breakthrough than the senior citizen or the elderly particularly in the United States. The National Center on Elder Abuse which is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services notes by 2050, people of the agesRead More Crimes Against the Elderly1701 Words   |  7 Pagesincreasing population of elderly people has been accompanied by a number of challenges to the elderly, communities, and the state. The frequency of victimization of the elderly through various crimes has escalated with the criminal justice system facing increasing pressure to curb this trend. Despite all states having legislation that target protecting the adult population from crimes, wide gaps in reporting of crimes against the elderly are evident ac ross the nation. The elderly have increasingly becomeRead More For the love of our parents Essay1199 Words   |  5 Pages Elderly abuse is defined as â€Å"any deliberate action or lack of action that causes harm to an older adult.† (Brownridge 55) It may take the form of: physical, financial, neglect, or psychological abuse. (Maclean 7-23) Statistics show that abuse towards the elderly is a substantial problem: A 1989 survey of 2000 elderly persons from private house holds found that 4% of the people reported being abused. (Health Canada) This is the equivalent of 98,000 elderly people in Canada. Financial abuse was theRead MoreEssay on Elder Financial Exploitation1129 Words   |  5 Pageselder financial exploitation? In a study conducted by the University of Virginia, there are four predominant types of elder maltreatment. This includes pure financial exploitation (PFE), physical abuse, neglect by others or self, and hybrid financial exploitation (HFE). PFE is elder financial exploitation without any other abuse cited. PFE is usually conducted by unknown individuals to the elderly victim, as in mortgage or home improvement scams. HFE is a combination of elder financial exploitationRead MoreElderly Abuse Prevention, Identification And Treatment Act1646 Words   |  7 Pages Elderly abuse Each year thousands of individuals are abused and neglected including elderly persons. Many have stated that because of their age, frailness leaves them vulnerable to society. The majority depends on their caregiver to meet their basic need because they cannot help themselves. According to the 1985 Elder Abuse Prevention, Identification and Treatment Act, elderly abuse is defined as â€Å"willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation or cruel punishment withRead MoreDifferent Types Of Abuse And The Elderly Population877 Words   |  4 PagesDifferent Types of Abuse in the Elderly Population The aging population in the United State is at risk for not only chronic health problems, but abuse including, physical, sexual, psychological/emotional, and/or financial. With the increase number of elders being seen by healthcare professionals it is important to know what suspicions to look for, to report accurately and appropriately. Financial Abuse Financial elder abuse â€Å"is the unauthorized or improper use of the elder’s resources forRead MoreThe Aging Population During The United State863 Words   |  4 PagesThe aging population in the United State is at risk for not only chronic health problems, but abuse including, physical, sexual, psychological/emotional, and/or financial. With the increase number of elders being seen by healthcare professionals it is important to know what suspicions to look for, to report accurately and appropriately. Financial Abuse Financial elder abuse â€Å"is the unauthorized or improper use of the elder’s resources for monetary or personal benefit, profit, or gain such as forgeryRead MoreReporting Elder Abuse Essay1186 Words   |  5 Pagesmake a distinction between what is right and what is wrong. Elder abuse is becoming a serious issue in the health environment. As defined in the website, MedicineNet.com, elder abuse is: â€Å"the physical, sexual, or emotional abuse of an elderly person, usually one who is disabled or frail†. The older population consists of people over sixty-five years old. They are very fragile and sometimes they are forgotten or abused. The elderly can be victims of mistreatment in nursing homes, hospitals, or evenRead MoreIs Abuse A Nursing Homes? What Are The Warning Signs?951 Words   |  4 Pages What is abuse in nursing homes? What are the warning signs? How did abuse in nursing homes start? To begin, there are different types of abuse such as: emotional, sexual, neglect, financial and physical abuse. Next, the warning signs of any type of abuse are tension between the elderly and changes in behavior. Finally, nursing homes have a long history of abuse, but because of laws and regulations there has been less cases than in the past. In conclusion, abuse in nursing homes can be avoided by