As the elderly population continues to grow in the United Staes, elder abuse becomes more prevalent. The abuse of people who rely on other people, whether it is family or a nursing home, can cause great suffering in the last years of that person’s life. The infographic below illustrates how elder abuse has increased, and signs of elder abuse to look out for.
To sum it all up: For every 1 case of elderly abuse reported to the authorities, 24 remain unknown. Signs of neglect:
- Lack of food and water
- Lack of basic hygiene
- Sunken eyes or loss of weight
Signs of physical abuse:
- Bruises or grip marks
- Repeated unexplained injuries
- Dismissive attitude about injuries
Signs of financial abuse:
- Life circumstances don’t match what is known about the person’s financial assets
- Large withdrawals from bank account
- Signature on checks doesn’t match the older person’s signature
Signs of psychological abuse:
- Uncommunicative and unresponsive
- Unreasonably fearful or suspicious
- Lack of interest in social contact
- Unexplained changes in behavior