Elder Abuse Flashcards
1
Q
What is elder abuse according to MT law? Who does this apply to?
A
- the infliction of physical or mental injury or the deprivation of food, shelter, clothing, or services necessary to maintain the physical or mental health of an older person or persons w/ developmental disability w/ lawful authority
- applies to senior citizens (60 and older), and vulnerable adults (person 60 or over or person who is 18 and older with a disability) who are being abused, neglected or exploited
2
Q
Who are the usual victims? Who are the usual perps?
A
- victims: women are 35% more likely to be abused than men
- perps:
33% of alleged perps are adult kids, 22% are other family members, and 11% spouses/partners, 16% are strangers, close to 90% are known by victims
3
Q
RFs for being a victim?
A
- age
- social isolation
- extreme dependence and frailty
- severe mental and/or physical illness
- female gender
- low to modest financial resources
4
Q
What are barriers to reporting abuse?
A
- fear
- protecting the abuser
- social isolation
- self-blame/denial
- inability to report:
mental impairments, physical impairments
5
Q
What are red flags in senior citizens that point to abuse?
A
- personality changes
- sudden physical changes in appearance and abilities
- they seem nervous or afraid
- confusion about transactions or withdrawals
- unable to remember signing documents
- property is transferred or missing
- level of care they are receiving is inconsistent w/ their resources
- signs of substance abuse
6
Q
Who are the alleged perps?
A
- tend to be opportunists
- tend to be predators
- may believe they are entitled to take victim’s assets
- perps generally fall into 2 categories:
persons unknown to victim
persons known to victim
7
Q
Common crimes against the elderly?
A
- sweepstakes/lottery scans: must may taxes/fees up front to collect winnings, canadian lottery
- confidence crimes: uses deception to gain another’s confidence - annuity scams, charity scans, home repair scams, telemarketing scams
- identity theft
- sweetheart swindles and fortune telling schemes: uses loneliness and perception that something is missing in victim’s life to exploit
- predatory lending: unscrupulous and aggressive lending practices that take advantage of vulnerable borrowers
8
Q
What are sample questions to ask if you are suspicious of abuse?
A
- do you feel safe at home?
- follow up with “because there is help available for my pts who are being abused, I now ask everyone about the possibility if it is occurring?
- other ?s”
are you afraid of anyone?
Are you made to stay in your room or left alone often?
9
Q
Define physical abuse? Usual perps?
A
- physical force that results in bodily injury, pain or impairment. It includes assault, battery, and inappropriate restraint
- behavioral: delay b/t onset of injury and seeking emdical care
- victims taken to different medical facilities for tx
- explanations for injuries differ
- perps: family, kids, spouse, intimate partners trying to gain control over victim
10
Q
What is domestic violence? Perps? Indicators?
A
- escalating pattern of violence or intimidation by an intimate partner, which is used to gain power and control - domestic violence grown old, late onset domestic violence
- perps: spouse or partners
- indicators: intense confusion and disassociation
- questions to ask: does anyone threaten to hurt or abuse you?
11
Q
What is sexual abuse? Perps, indicators, questions to ask?
A
- non-consensual sexual contact of any kind w/ an older person
- perps: caregivers, family members, facility residents
- indicators: fear of being touched, strange bruising, unexplained STD
- questions to ask: does anyone force you to have sex or make you do things related to sex that make you feel uncomfortable?
12
Q
What is neglect? self neglect?
A
- failure to fulfill a person’s obligatios or duties to an elder. Can be willful/intentional such as withholding food/medicine or unintentional (Caregiver burnout)
- self neglect: failure by oneself to provide goods or services to avoid serious threat to physical or mental health
13
Q
Perps, indicators of neglect?
A
- perps: family members, caregivers, acquaintances
- indicators: physical - unclean
- question to ask: tell me about your hygiene schedule?
14
Q
Indicators, questions to ask for self neglect?
A
- indicators: isolated, no family contact, wt loss
- questions:
who does the shopping or prepares your meals?
Do you get out often w/ family or friends?
15
Q
Why do people hoard?
A
- extreme emotional attachment
- difficulty w/ decision making
- perfectionism
- responsibility
- fear of making a mistake
16
Q
What is hoarding?
A
- condition of the home may prevent repairs from taking place
- possible loss of heat, running water, electricity, and refrigeration
- social service agencies not being able to provide services
- greater risk for falls
- medical emergency teams unable to gain access to home
17
Q
What is psychological/verbal abuse? Perps, indicators, ?s?
A
- infliciton of mental or emotional anguish by threat, humiliation or other verbal or nonverbal conduct
- perpetrators: family, caregivers
- indicators: wt loss, no eye contact when asking ?s’
- questions: are you afraid of anyone?
18
Q
What is financial exploitation? Perps, indicators, ?s?
A
- illegal or improper use of an older persons funds, property or resources
- perps: family members, scammers
- indicators: concerned about costs
- questions: who handles your checkbook?
19
Q
What is decisional capacity?
A
- ability to adequately process info in order to make a decision based on that info
20
Q
Factors that may affect mental capacity?
A
- Illness (UTI) or disease
- tx factors:
poor nutrition/malnutrition
dehydration
depression
med interactions
sleep deprivation - time of day
21
Q
What is an undue influence and how does it work?
A
- persuasion, pressure, or influence short of actual force, but stronger than mere advice, that so overpowers that dominated party’s free will or judgement that he or she cannot act intelligently and voluntarily, but acts instead subject to the will or purposes of the dominating party
How it works: - victim and exploiter are often in an ongoing relationship
- exploiters may target and groom their victims
- exploiters are generally subtle in their exploitation of their victims
- they are often charming manipulators
- exploiters justify their actions through various excuses
- victims often appear as willing paricipants
22
Q
What is consent? what are legal elements of consent?
A
- it is when someone accepts or agress to something that somebody else proposes. For consent to be legal and proper - the person consenting needs to have sufficient mental capacity to understand the implications and ramifications of his or her actions
- legal elements:
mental capacity
knowledge of true nature of act/transaction
act freely and voluntarily
23
Q
Why is dementia and alzheimers a RF for exploitation?
A
b/c:
unable to report
may not be believed
may not be able to recognize financial exploitation
24
Q
What is polyvictimization?
A
- exposure to multiple types of violence or victimization (if there is 1 abuse going on - likely at least 1 more also occurring)
25
What is guardianship?
- legal process, utilized when a person can no longer make or communicate self or sound decisions about his/her person and/or property or has become suscpetible to fraud or undue influence. Because est. a guardianship may remove considerable rights from an individual, it should only be considered after alt. to guardianship have proven ineffective or are unavailable
26
Reporting guidelines for adult protective services?
- authorized and budgeted through the state (6 regions around the state)
- reporting guidelines:
abuse doesn't need to be confirmed
provide as much detail as possible
reports are confidental and reporter not disclosed to victim, family or abuser
27
What happens once you make referral to adult protective services?
- conduct investigation
- solicit victim cooperation
- conduct interviews
- fxnl and cognitive assessmnets
- releases of informaton
- review records
- compile evidence
- discuss/coordinate services
- refer to law enforcement (if needed)
28
Other reporting agents other than Adult protective services?
- law enforcement: when appropriate or in case of emergency, get specific info such as names, dates, and times
tell whay you saw or heard, give as much detail of situation as you can
- long term care ombudsman: nursing home
