Elder Abuse

If you believe that you or someone you know is being subjected to Elder Abuse then contact the Police immediately.

What is Elder Abuse?

Abuse of the elderly can take many forms and elderly victims can be abused in many ways. It can affect older men and women. The abuse may include one, some or all of the following;

Sexual and/or physical Abuse
Psychological Abuse
Financial Abuse
Neglect

Where can Elder Abuse occur?

Elder Abuse can occur in many situations which an elderly person finds themselves in, these can include;

Abuse within their own home
Abuse within a carer’s home
Abuse whilst in day care
Abuse whilst in hospital
Abuse in Residential Care or a Nursing Home

Who commits Elder Abuse?

The abuser is usually well known to the elderly person being abused and may include the following;

Their Partner, Children or Relative
A Health or Social Worker or other professional
A friend or a neighbour
A care worker

What are the signs of Elder Abuse?

Physical Abuse
The signs of Elder Abuse can be apparent with the existence of cuts and bruises or, in some cases broken bones. There may be signs of the elderly person being physically restrained.

In some cases the elderly person may disclose that they are being abused but, in other cases, they may fear the repercussions of disclosure or are not actually aware they are being abused.

However, some other signs may not be as apparent such as untreated injuries in various stages of the healing process or the elderly person not being treated properly for an injury. Other signs can include poor skin condition or inadequate hygiene, dehydration or malnourishment with no apparent cause, loss of weight, broken possessions such as glasses or the inappropriate use of medication (under or over dosing).

Sexual Abuse
The signs of sexual abuse may include torn or stained clothing, vaginal or anal bleeding with no explanation, venereal disease or genital infections with no explanation, bruises or tenderness around the breasts or genital areas.

Psychological Abuse
The elderly person may exhibit certain feelings or behaviours which would indicate psychological abuse. They may exhibit helplessness or be hesitate to talk frankly and openly. The elderly person may be confused or disorientated. Other signs could include anger without an apparent cause, sudden changes in their behaviour or unusual behaviour such as rocking, sucking or biting. They may show fear or be withdrawn, non-communicative or non-responsive.

Financial Abuse
Signs of financial abuse may involve unexplainable changes in the level of the elderly person’s bank account or missing money or funds. There may be large withdraws of sums of money or regular small withdrawals without explanation.

It may also be an indicator of financial abuse if the elderly person changes a will and includes new beneficiaries under the will who would have not benefited previously. There may also be a sudden establishment of a will.

The elderly person may also have been defrauded out of assets which have been transferred to another family member or someone outside the family. There could be numerous unpaid bills (Rent, Telephone, Heating etc..) when someone has taken charge or paying these bills on behalf of the elderly person.

In some cases, valuable possessions such as silverware, ornaments or jewellery may be missing and the elderly person is not able to explain where they have gone.

In some cases, the person perpetrating the financial abuse may cause deliberate isolation of the elderly person to prevent them telling someone. The perpetrator may also become avoidant when talking about the elderly persons finances or may refuse to allow others to view the elderly person’s finances.

Neglectful Abuse
This is when the elderly person is not given the care they require. Indicators of neglect can include Rashes, sores, poor hygiene, unsanitary or unclean conditions and loss of weight, dehydration or malnourishment. The elderly person may also have an untreated medical condition.

If you wish to speak with one of our specialist solicitors in confidence about Elder Abuse please call 0870 055 2260.

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