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By: Carol Whiteman, Vice-Chair BOHCC Board of Directors  Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention is for All Ages The month of June brings awareness to the vitally critical issue of elder abuse. June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month and World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is June 15th. We should take great concern in the care and treatment of our parents, grandparents, and other loved ones as they age through the final chapters of their lives.
There comes a point where the people that took care of us when we were young experience a role reversal and we take care of them at the end of their life span. I have personally lived through this with my own mother. I was not fortunate enough to be able to medically care for her in my home, I had to rely on the expertise and kindness of professionals in a skilled facility. Relying on others is the case for many of us that have had to witness the decline and loss of our parents. Nothing had prepared me for relying and trusting on the kindness of others for her care. I consider myself and my siblings very blessed that our mom was in great hands in the skilled nursing setting that she was in. Not everyone is blessed with an exceptional story though. There are countless examples of elders being abused in their own homes, and in facilities where they are placed. The elderly are taken advantage of too often. Scam artists and family members target the elderly for fraudulent requests for money and credit card information. Only 1 in 44 cases of financial abuse is reported, according to the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA). Sometimes we hear of caregivers taking advantage of and being physically or sexually abusive to the elderly. 90% of abusers are family members or trusted others (NAPSA). There are even abuse situations that involve the elderly that are called into our crisis call line. We all have to do our share to make sure these things do not happen. If it does occur, report it immediately and seek the help of a victim advocate if a loved one is impacted by domestic violence or sexual assault. We have to take action to protect and care for the elderly. If we do not take action, who will? By: Cheyenne Taylor  Similarly to child abuse, we trust that our loved ones are safe in the hands of those closest to them; however, that is not always the case. Elder abuse can manifest in many ways, such as withholding food, not changing diapers, not bathing or showering, committing health care fraud, misusing funds, abandonment, or physical, sexual, and emotional violence1. This abuse can happen at the hands of a loved one, a hired caregiver, or even a stranger. It can occur in their home, a relative's, or a nursing home [1].
Warning Signs Include:
While some ailments might excuse these signs of abuse, they should be of concern if they come on suddenly or frequently without justifiable cause. It is critical to keep in contact with your elderly loved ones to be able to make note of these types of changes. Support victims of elder abuse by spreading awareness about this issue. If you have concerns about the care of an elderly loved one, talk with them and then report concerns to Adult Protective Services. If you or a loved one is experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, our agency can help you. To speak with a trained victim advocate, call our confidential crisis line at 317-731-6140. In the case of an emergency, call 9-1-1. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/elder-abuse/spotting-signs-elder-abuse |
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This blog is about our domestic and sexual violence crisis center, Beacon of Hope. We hope you find it full of helpful information, motivation, creativity, serious facts and positivity. We hope that it will help you know what is happening in our center, in our community and with our events. We hope you follow our blog in support of our organization and our mission. Archives
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