Nursing Home Abuse Report » Elderly Abuse » Signs of Elder Abuse

Signs of Elder Abuse - How can You Tell If Your Loved One is a Victim of Abuse?

Medication, diseases and illness make it difficult to detect signs of elder abuse. There are different types of elder abuse: physical abuse, financial abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and health care fraud.

Physical abuse is the willful inflicting of pain or injury to an elderly person. The signs include:

1. Unexplained signs of injury, bruises, welts, or scars
2. Broken bones, sprains, or dislocations
3. Drug overdose or apparent failure to take medication regularly
4. Broken eyeglasses or frames
5. Signs of being restrained, such as rope marks on wrists
6. Caregiver's refusal to allow you to see the elder alone

The improper act of using the resources of an elder for someone else's benefit without their consent is financial abuse. The signs include:

• Large withdrawals from the elder's accounts
• Sudden changes in the elder's financial condition
• Cash and/or items missing from the senior's household
• Suspicious changes in wills, power of attorney, titles, and policies
• Addition of names to the elder's signature card
• Unpaid bills and/or lack of medical care despite capacity to pay for them
• Financial activities the elder couldn't have done due to health and/or physical conditions
• Purchase of unnecessary services, goods, or subscriptions

Sexual abuse is the coercing of an elder through force, trickery, threats or other means into unwanted sexual activity. The signs include:

• Bruises or injuries around genitals and breasts
• Unexplained venereal disease or genital infections
• Unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding
• Torn, stained, or bloody underclothing

Emotional abuse of an elder is the causing of mental or emotional distress by means of humiliation, intimidation or threats. The signs include:

• Threatening, belittling, or controlling behavior by caregiver
• Behavior of the elder that mimics dementia, such as rocking,sucking, or mumbling to oneself

Neglect is another form of elder abuse and is the failure to provide food, water, clothing, shelter, hygiene, medication, safety and comfort by someone who is responsible for the elder. The signs include:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Untreated wounds and injuries
• Unsanitary and/or unsafe living conditions
• Lack of proper sanitation facility
• Being left dirty or unbathed
• Improper clothing for the weather
• Desertion of the elder at a public place

Healthcare fraud and abuse is carried out by unethical doctors, nurses, hospital personnel, and other professional care providers. The signs include:

• Duplicate billings for the same medical service or device
• Overmedication or undermedication
• Inadequate care when bills are paid in full
• Poorly trained, poorly paid, or insufficient staff or crowding at the care facility.

Reporting Abuse

If you are unsure where to report a case of elder abuse, you can contact an attorney specializing in elder law who can help you with the reporting.

Medicare Eligibility for Nursing Home Care

Medicare will cover nursing home care only if the patient receiving the care needs skilled nursing.

• Medicare Eligibility
• Paying for Nursing Home Care

Nursing Home Abuse
Abuse can be physical, emotional, financial and sexual. More ...