Alarming Signs Your Elderly Loved One Might Be at Risk

Throughout our lives, we work hard to accumulate funds and lead a comfortable retired life. Coupled with growing age, our physical and mental prowess diminishes, making it difficult for us to care for ourselves. This is when we seek out the services of retirement homes where specialized experts take care of us. However, there have been increased reports of elder abuse as per the reports of the National Council of Aging. This type of abuse isn’t just limited to physical and can encompass everything from mistreatment to mental stress. Below, we have listed the most prominent signs of elder abuse so that you can understand if an older adult is experiencing the same:

Psychological Abuse

This type of abuse emotionally hurts a person and can be in the form of yelling, threatening, ignoring them, talking down to them, calling them lewd names, and controlling their actions. In such cases, the older person might act frightened or withdrawn. It might be difficult for close family to explain the changed behavior of older people as they constantly mumble to themselves and are continually depressed. They might lose interest in things they love more than anything and also report difficulty sleeping. 

Physical Abuse

The most prominent sign of elder abuse is physical abuse, and this can include shoving, hitting, burning, or kicking an older person, locking them inside a room, tying them to a wheelchair, or giving them unprescribed drugs forcefully. Though such signs are readily visible, there might also be other signals like sprained bones, unexplained bruises, repeated injuries, or the older adult trying to avoid a doctor’s visit. 

Financial Abuse

An older person might not be capable of caring for their financial property. Often, unscrupulous people misuse their bank accounts or credit cards without permission, force them to sign legal documents like a power of attorney, and even forge signatures. Even if older adults aren’t living in a retirement home, they might be charged exorbitantly for repair services. Often, fake charities try to extort money from unsuspecting elderly through donations. Some red flags to watch out for include missing financial statements, unexplained withdrawals from bank accounts, unpaid bills, alternations in legal documents, etc. 

Sexual Abuse

Your loved ones might be coerced into having sexual relations with other people. They might be forced into taking off their clothes, watching pornography, may be raped or touched inappropriately. Some of the physical signs of sexual abuse are the elderly getting STDs, bruises around their genitals or breasts, torn underwear or clothes, and bleeding from the bottom or vagina. 

Neglect

Not tending to an older person’s needs is also a form of abuse. Caregivers might not provide them with clean and fresh water, food, clothing, housing & medications. They might also be reluctant to help them dress, eat, bathe, or proceed with other daily activities. Some visible signs of neglect are sudden weight loss in the elderly, missing or broken eyeglasses, walkers, dentures, hearing aids, dirty clothes, unkempt hair, and skin infections. 

Conclusion

Once you point out the signs of abuse, you must move older adults to a safer place so that they are properly cared for. It is also advisable to take legal steps against the wrongdoers. Experts at Ace Law Group can help you with this to ensure a happy golden age for your loved ones.