Whether you trust your elderly loved one to live in a nursing home,
with a caregiver, or at home alone, you always worry about their
well-being. Even if you visit regularly or talk to them daily, it can
be difficult to know if your loved one is truly being taken care of
and just as importantly, that no one is taking advantage of them.
Sadly, there are many ways elders can fall victim to abuse. While it
is not possible to prevent all forms of elder abuse, you can educate
yourself on the warning signs.
Keep in mind though that signs of elder abuse are often difficult to
recognize. In some cases, warning signs may be mistaken for a mental
condition like dementia or Alzheimer’s or the elder’s overall frail
health. Signs come into two main forms, physical or concrete and
behavioral. Sometimes, behavioral signs may be present before physical
signs, but every type of abuse usually consists of both physical signs
and behavioral changes. Sometimes a sign has both behavioral and
physical components. The following are the signs you should keep watch
out for each type of elder abuse:
- Physical Abuse
Look for: bruises (often in clusters), broken bones, welts, scars,
cuts, and any injury that is unexplained or the explanation seems
suspect. Other signs include medication schedule not being followed or
of a medication overdose.
Watch for: sudden changes in elder’s behavior such as depression,
anxiety, fear, or nervousness. Also common is an elder or caregiver
refusing visitors for the elder or the caregiver wanting to be in the
room while visitors are present. Psychosomatic symptoms are also
common, such as complaints of headaches for women and stomachaches for
men. Elder may also complain of trouble sleeping or have an unusual
reaction to being touched or receiving physical affection. - Emotional Abuse
Look for: thumb sucking, rocking, or even biting are possible even
though emotional abuse typically does not have any physical markers.
Watch for: tension between the caregiver and elder or caregiver acting
in a belittling, threatening, or intimidating manner. Elder may become
agitated, moody, depressed, or become withdrawn. An elder may also
speak of abuse. - Sexual Abuse
Look for: bruising around the breasts or genitals, sexually
transmitted diseases or infections, unexplained anal or vaginal
bleeding. Look for evidence of ripped or stained clothing or
underwear.
Watch for: sudden changes in personality and refusal of visitors — the
behavioral changes of sexual abuse or often similar to that of
physical abuse. - Neglect
Look for: elder appearing dirty, malnourished or suffering from
unexplained weight loss; having suffered unexplained falls or
accidents; the appearance of bedsores or untreated wounds; living
conditions appear unsafe or unclean; untreated injuries or illnesses;
and dehydration.
Watch for: behaviors similar to physical abuse. - Financial Abuse
Look for: caregiver’s name on accounts, missing money or valuables,
large withdrawals from accounts, or unusual spending.
Watch for: elder being more suspicious when he or she used to be more
trusting. Financial abuse can occur with other forms of abuse, so be
on the lookout for those signs as well.
If you suspect that your loved one has been the victim of elder abuse,
you will want to speak with an experienced Kansas City Personal Injury
Attorney right away. The Personal Injury and Elder Abuse Attorneys at
Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. have experience in elder abuse cases around
the area, including both in Kansas and Missouri. To speak with an
attorney about the harm you suspect is being done to your loved one,
contact our office at (816) 472-4673 to schedule a consultation. At
Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. we will fight to protect your rights.
