Elder Mistreatment Flashcards
Elder mistreatment
- is the outcome of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or abandonment of an older adult by a known caregiver
- includes intentional actions that cause harm or create serious risk of harm (whether or not intended) to a vulnerable elder by a caregiver or other person who is in a trust relationship to the elder or failure by a caregiver to satisfy the elder’s basic needs or to protect him or her from harm.
Types - 6
- Physical abuse (acts of violence causing harm).
- Sexual abuse (inappropriate physical touches).
- Physical neglect (failure to provide needs).
- Physiological abuse (harassment, threats).
- Physiological neglect (“silent treatment,”
deprived of social situations). - Financial material abuse (improper use of funds).
Risk factors include:
Cognitive imparemnt
Isolation
Low education
Low socioeconomic staus
History of domestic abuse
Depression
Stressful events
The factors associated with mistreatment, in order of importance
depression
abuse at mid-age
as a child
as a youth
having difficulties with mobility
not feeling safe with family.
List 7 theories of EM
Transgenerational violence
Psychopathology of the abuser
Caregiver stress
Generational inversion
Dependence as a central issue
Web of dependency
Isolation
Transgenerational violence
a phenomena whereby children who were abused grow up and mistreat heir abusive parents
Psychopathology of the abuser
may be a contributing factor, Substance use may be a factor.
Caregiver stress
as caregivers become overburdened or overwhelmed by care giving respocibilities, they may become violent.
Generational inversion
where the roles of child and parent become reversed, may contribute to caregiver stress – this stress increases the potential of elder mistreatment.
Dependence as a central issue
where older adults are dependent upon caregivers for activities of daily living and IADLs, they are more vulnerable to being mistreated
Web of dependency
where victim and perpetrator are equally dependent upon each other
Isolation
plays a key role, with no outsider to monitor qualify of life, older adults are at greater risks for EM-no one monitoring
Institutional Mistreatment
- associated with overworked caregivers on understaffed units.
- Older adult aggressiveness is a predictor of abuse by staff.
- Education on caring for older adults with cognitive impairments is key to preve
- Reporting of abusive behaviour is challenging (fear of job loss)
When will older adults disclose abuse?
Older adults are not likely to disclose abuse unless directly asked about it
Clinical Presentation: symptoms, lab work
- bruises, skin tears, poor hygiene, dehydration
- Lab work for dehydration, anemia; x-rays for injuries.
- detail is important related to onset, circumstances, frequency, characteristics associated with the problem
