Karen Turner PHD | Elderly Abuse and Neglect: Boomers Alert
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Elderly Abuse and Neglect: Boomers Alert

Elderly Abuse and Neglect: Boomers Alert

Elderly Problems: Abuse and Neglect

Elderly Problems: Abuse and Neglect

Elderly Problems: By Boomeryearbook.com

Psychological articles reviewed by Boomer Yearbook inform us that as one’s quality of life increases, so does one’s life expectancy. Our population is aging rapidly and by the year 2030, the elderly population will be twice its present number. A fair amount of this growth is due to the fact that the baby boomers generation is aging, and 61 million of us will be between 64 and 86 years old by the year 2030! With the increase in the aging boomer population it is no surprise that reports of elderly problems such as abuse and neglect, have become far more prevalent, and are an incoming risk to the large aging baby boomer generation.

Types:

While there is a wide scope of issues under the umbrella term of abuse, the main categories can be summarized as follows:

Physical abuse: consists of all acts of physical violence i.e. acts carried out with the intention to inflict physical pain or injury. This includes assault, confinement, and administration of an improper type or amount of drugs.

Psychological/emotional abuse: consists of any verbal aggression that causes emotional distress. Most common are insults, humiliating comments, and threats-in elderly cases, especially those of institutionalization or abandonment.

Neglect– one of the most common of the elderly problems, consists of the failure of the caretaker to meet the needs of the elderly dependant; whether intentional or otherwise.

Financial exploitation– consists of the embezzlement of money or property. This includes the use of credit cards without consent, theft of pension checks, and the forceful changing of legal documents.

Detection:

One of the basic needs for the prevention of the abusive type of elderly problems is the ability to detect them. However, it is not easy to detect as it is usually confused with other conditions such as dementia or frailty and can be a combination of international abuse along with some natural causality.

Signs of physical abuse: usually bruises, abrasions, sprains and in severe cases fractures and burns. Also, medication taken at irregular time intervals should be carefully assessed to see if it is a symptom of an abusive situation.

Signs of psychological abuse: talking to oneself, wetting oneself, rocking, pulling or picking at one’s hair or face.

Signs of neglect– poor hygiene, soiled clothing, malnutrition or dehydration.

Signs of financial exploitation: sudden change of wills or legal documents, significant withdrawal from accounts etc.

Causes of the elderly problem of abuse

Although many caretakers have the best intentions for the care of an elderly dependant, the additional burden, stress and other factors may cause the elderly problems of abuse and neglect to arise. Similarly, the employees of health care institutions might be over worked and exhausted. The anxiety of elderly care is a significant contributor to the stemming of the elderly problems of abuse and neglect and leads to exhaustion, irritability, impatience, and the failure to resist from doing harm.

Care takers who are more susceptible to the mental and physical health problems that elderly care entails usually have anxiety, depression, substance abuse problems, and are in a bad financial situation. Likewise, certain elderly persons are more likely to be abused. These include individuals who are already timid, have dementias or the like, and have a prior history of domestic violence.

Educate yourself:

Abuse and neglect are amongst the elderly problems that the baby boomers generation should face head on as prevention is vital to the well being of the global baby boomers generation. A pro-active strategy entails education regarding the symptoms of abuse and encouraging the abused elderly to come forward and let others know what is happening. Additionally, seniors should be encouraged to develop a social network either in their neighborhoods or through an online network such as ones provided by Boomer Yearbook’s website for baby boomers.

Boomer Yearbook, a free social networking site for the baby boomers or those concerned with the elderly problems of the baby boomers generation, is based on the vision that the baby boomers want to connect and reconnect, but in our own way and on our own terms.

As a clinical psychologist, Dr. Karen Turner provides free psychological articles on baby boomer relevant topics such as dream analysis, coaching, self-help, baby boomer relevant forums, the latest news on baby boomers cosmetic enhancements and weekly updates on the baby boomers generation mental and medical wellness.

Join now to discover the numerous ways in which this website for baby boomers can contribute to optimal physical and emotional wellness. The baby boomers generation changed the world. We’re not done yet!

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