Elder abuse takes on a lot of different forms, all of which are detrimental to the health and safety of a senior citizen. All of these forms are also illegal, too. If anything, COVID-19 and the ensuing quarantine has highlighted just how serious senior abuse really is. Reported cases have gone up, and countless numbers of individuals are silently suffering because it hasn’t yet been reported. Some estimates say that the actual number of cases is about eight times higher than what has been reported.
There are things that you can do right now that will help to reduce the chances that an older member of your family will be abused. Here is a short list designed to help keep your family safer.
Increase accountability. Even good people can make bad decisions once in a while. Even people that you know might make a bad decision that could lead to abuse. By increasing the number of people that have eyes on your loved one and by making sure that there are checks and balances in place your loved one won’t be left vulnerable to the actions and decisions of just one person. A team atmosphere is more likely to help your mother stay safe.
Use technology responsibly. One of the reasons why the coronavirus pandemic has seen an increase in reported cases of elder abuse is because many seniors found themselves cut off from communication with others. Helping a loved one to know how to use a smartphone or a tablet to video chat with others is a good way to get started. Some seniors are more tech savvy than others, so this might be a really easy job for you–or it might require a lot of your time and energy. Either way, it will help your family to be kept safer.
Encourage community. When an older person is isolated, the odds of abuse going undetected increase dramatically. When that person has a group of people that they trust and can rely upon, the odds of something being undetected are way lower. Communities go beyond peers, too. Families play a big role in this. If you have an elderly loved one that you don’t see often, be more proactive about staying in touch with them. Call them more often, use video chats to say good night, and speak with those that do see them more regularly. You can still be a part of their community even if you’re located far away.
Elder abuse can often go undetected, but it’s not easy for this to happen if you are not proactively involving yourself in the life of your loved ones in a way that deters abuse. There’s no perfect way to avoid this from happening, but the steps listed here can be a good way to get started.
If you have questions about the care of a loved one, or would like to know more about what you can do to help stop elder abuse, please feel free to get in touch with us today.
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