What is Elder Abuse? Does it exist? Does it really happen?

Most people have no idea that elder abuse even existed, or what it is; but just like child abuse it happens more often than we realize.

Elder abuse it when a provider, whether an agency, family friend or even their own child abuse their parent. This occurs every day in the United States, but nobody reports it. Mom and dad, grandparent all across the county are abused. Abuse does not have to be just physically hitting a person. A person can be physically abused when they are neglected, or exposed to toxic fumes

They can be mentally abused by being told that they are horrible human beings, or even worse told by their child of thirty or forty that they were the worst parents ever. When a five year old tells you he doesn’t love you, we have to look and see who is saying it, but when a forty year old daughter tells her mother of sixty eight that she was a horrible mother and human being; now that is mental abuse the daughter knows exactly what she is saying.

Then there is financial abuse, when a person is financially taking advantage of someone, whether it is a home attended or a family member. They slowly remove material things from their home, or bank accounts; sometimes they remove large amount without the elderly person ever knowing it, until it is too late. When it is a family member it is the hardest since you never expect it from someone you love.

Whether it is physical, mental or financial abuse, it needs to be addressed, either with other family members, the primary doctor if for whatever reason a person is sent to the hospital or emergency room, it should never be ignored. It exists and is happening probably to someone in your neighborhood and nobody even knows about it, usually until it is too late. Just like child abuse; if you see something, say something.