Elder abuse is rampant throughout the United States, even though most states have taken extreme measures to limit the instances within state run nursing homes. Unfortunately, this is an issue that is very difficult to stave off at the state level, and one that is much easier to address at the individual level. By being proactive with the care of your mom or dad, you can take better steps to keep them safe and ensure that they are getting the right care for their situation. Whether it’s neglect, physical abuse, mental abuse, financial abuse, or something elder, elder abuse is one of the worst things that can happen to a family. This is not something that you want to just leave alone, but rather be active in the safety of your parent while they receive care.
Oregon is going through this issue right now. Their system of dealing with senior abuse is outdated and is currently being revamped. On average, the state sees about 1,000 cases of senior abuse per year, but there method of dealing with the issue is admittedly outdated. They have an online platform for reporting suspected cases of abuse, but because of a decision made about ten years ago–well before the internet was reliable enough for this to be a good method–only certain instances can be reported online. Oregon is also facing difficulty because the punishments for facilities that are found to be in violation of allowing abuse to occur are embarrassingly small. For example, in some cases, there is just a fine of $500 that is imposed.
Oregon is considering making changes, but as you have probably suspected, state level changes are not made overnight. Hopefully, this is an issue that can be fixed. In the meantime, it will remain an issue that needs to be addressed by families and trustworthy caregivers so that our elderly loved ones can stay as safe as possible.
Senior care is supposed to be a way for our family members and other loved ones to get the assistance that they need as they grow older and have more difficulty taking care of themselves and functioning independently. It doesn’t matter if it is a state run nursing home, in-home care, or an assisted living facility. The people that we hire to care for our loved ones should be beyond trustworthy. It’s important that states do their part, of course, but we also have a responsibility to love and look out for the people that we care about.
If you believe that some sort of elder abuse has occurred to someone that you love, be sure to get in touch with the proper authorities. Many states have hotlines that you can use, or you can call the police. Abuse of any sort is illegal, and it is the last thing that you want to happen to somebody that you love. Know what the signs of abuse are, and be sure that you have a solid idea of what to do if the unthinkable were to occur.
Leave a Reply