Portions of the U.S. are beginning to see a steep incline in reported cases of elder abuse. As the nation starts to open up, a lot of things that were occurring during the quarantine are just coming to light. The sad truth is that abuse, neglect, and even violence have gone unnoticed during this period of time.
The pandemic has exposed a lot of nasty things about us. Relationships that were surviving only because of time apart have had this safety net taken away. Think about celebrity and high profile divorces that have been announced in the last few months. Domestic violence rates have also been on the rise as the quarantine restrictions have gone on.
Not everyone is perfect, but the numbers that we have seen relating to family issues during this time have been quite disturbing. One of the conclusions that we’ve come to about this is that good people can make mistakes when under stress. Good people can do things that they normally wouldn’t do when things are out of the ordinary, when the future is uncertain, and emotions are out of control. Good people can make mistakes, and they might not even realize what is going on at the time.
One of the potential issues that has also come to light is that the numbers regarding abuse and violence are most likely much lower than what is actually happening. We expect to see this anyway. Not all cases of abuse are reported. When it comes to elder abuse, some estimates say that only about one in five cases is ever reported. Right now, that number is probably a lot worse. We’ve seen this same phenomenon when it comes to medical conditions. Numbers seem to be down, but only because fewer people have been going to the doctors for their routine checkups or to have potential health issues evaluated. The numbers themselves aren’t down, it’s the observances of the cases that are down. It’s misleading, but remembering that can help us to fight against it.
Moving forward, it is likely that life will never be the same for us as it once was. We’re likely to have some sort of restrictions in place to help prevent future pandemics or health crises moving forward. No one is really sure what this looks like at this point. As people that work with and live with elderly individuals, we all have an obligation to help keep these vulnerable individuals safe. Being aware of our actions and what elder abuse looks like is a start. Being aware that crises can bring out bad things in ourselves and in others can also help. There’s no reason why seniors should suffer more than usual because of a lack of understanding.
Please reach out to us if you’re looking for help. Your county likely has a lot of resources designed to help with precisely this scenario. If you’re not sure where to start, the local Social Services office can help get you pointed in the right direction. The goal is not to get anyone in trouble, but rather to keep people safe. Now, more than ever, we need to keep a renewed focus on this.
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