Response: Elder Abuse

You are encouraged to post your required replies earlier in the week to promote more meaningful and interactive discourse in this discussion.

In your responses, compare and contrast your own recommendations with those of your classmates. For each response, critically evaluate the information your classmate has provided by considering different points of view. What specific information presented in your classmate’s post do you agree or disagree with? Explain.

1st Response Fearnow

As hard as it is to believe that there is an issue with elderly people being abused by their loved ones, caregivers, and other individuals looking to gain from their inability to defend themselves, it is still an issue that is happening all around the nation. Elder abuse comes in many forms recognized in five types of abuse: (a) physical abuse—use of physical force that many result in bodily injury, physical pain, or impairment; (b) sexual abuse – nonconsensual sexual contact of any kind; (c) psychological and emotional abuse – infliction of anguish, pain, or distress through verbal or nonverbal acts; (d) financial abuse and exploitation –illegal or improper use of an older person’s funds, property, or assets; and (e) neglect and abandonment – intentional or unintentional refusal or failure to fulfill any part of a person’s obligations or caregiving duties to an older adult (American Psychological Association, 2012; Table 1). (Roberto, 2016) Elder abuse is found at all ages throughout but it is most found starting in the age range of 60 to 70 years of age. This is mainly due to the factors of people becoming less independent and losing their sense of comprehension about the things going on around them, also in part because they generally will put their trust into the family members that are giving the care or the people they put in place to care for themselves. Taking advantage of anyone at any age is ethically, legally, and morally unjust but to some people it is seen as his or her right or find it a convenient way to get the things wanted whether that be financially or otherwise.

XinQi Dong, MD, suggest that the use of the Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test and the Vulnerability to Abuse Screening Scale would help identify and reduce the number of non-reported elder abuse. The Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test measures violation of personal rights or direct abuse, characteristics of vulnerability, and potentially abusive situations. The Vulnerability to Abuse Screening Scale (VASS) measures vulnerability, dependence, dejection, and coercion. (Dong, 2015) I, also, believe that the types of testing that can be done when within a doctor check-up or hospital check-up setting is in place would help eliminate the number of unreported abuses taking place. Along with testing there needs to be a tighter screening process on information given over the phone or emails that pertain to an elder’s financial information and health information. It is too easy for people to obtain information that gives them access to bank numbers, health information, and so on, that helps the abuse continue to happen. There are multiple resources available to help a caregiver avoid unintentionally abusing an elderly person within their care including joining the Ageless Alliance and contacting local Adult Protective Services. These types of resources can guide a caregiver to ensure they are giving proper care and looking for signs of abuse from other people involved with the elderly client.

Reference:

Dong, X. (2015). Screening for Elder Abuse in Healthcare Settings: Why Should We Care, and Is It a Missed Quality Indicator?. Journal Of The American Geriatrics
Society, 63(8), 1686-1692. doi:10.1111/jgs.13538

Roberto, K. A. (2016). The complexities of elder abuse. The American Psychologist, (4), 302. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/amp/index.aspx

2^nd Response Pressley

Elderly individuals have suffered abuse more than ever. It was reported that approximately 4.3 million older persons, experience one or more forms of elder abuse annually. Elderly abuse was noted in the form of financial abuse, potential neglect, emotional abuse and financial abuse having the highest rate. Unbelievable there was a low rate of physical abuse and sexual abuse reported among elderly (Roberto, 2016).

Unfortunately elder abuse has been increasing as the broad-spectrum of the individual ages all over the world. The topic of elder abuse has not been acknowledged in society as of lately, and it is still under-recognized and under-reported across communities. Elderly abuse brings about shattering results for the victims, including poor quality of life, psychological distress, and loss of property and security. It occurs at various levels of socioeconomic statute, all parts of the world, and in numerous settings (Shubert, 2015).

There various solutions for preventing elderly abuse is recognizing the sign such as malnutrition, detailing the magnitude of the problem, research aspects that cause individuals to be at risk or that safeguards them from violence, and aiding state and local affiliates plan, device, and assess prevention procedures.

Reference

Roberto, K. A. (2016). The complexities of elder abuse. The American Psychologist, (4), 302. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/amp/index.as

Shubert, S. (2015). Abuse of the elderly. Salem Press Encyclopedia Of Health,