My 79-year-old grandfather lives with us at home. He goes on morning walks, feeds our dogs, and watches basketball in his rocking chair. He has also suffered two strokes, has poor short-term memory, little to no hearing, and has difficulty communicating and performing daily tasks on his own. It’s easy for him to become disoriented in unfamiliar places, and forget where household items are such as plates and silverware. Nevertheless, he is a valued member of our family and we continue to take care of him, no matter how stubbornly his strong personality nags us not to. On the other hand, with his condition gradually becoming worse and more labor-intensive it begs the question as to his future in our house and under our limited care. One option is a nursing home or other long-term care facilities.
There are about 3.2 million adults residing in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in America. About 40% of all adults will enter a nursing home at some point in their lives.
Yet another startling statistic is that 1 in 6 of these adults/elderly will become the victims of abuse or neglect every year.
The Department of Health defines abuse as “a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by another person or persons”. In nursing homes, this abuse can take multiple different forms, including physical, sexual, or psychological abuse.
In a survey taken by nursing home residents, 44% reported that they had been abused at some point and almost 95% reported that they had witnessed another resident neglected.
Another form of abuse is financial exploitation, where a caregiver takes advantage of access to a patient’s financial information. One of many terrifying examples of this was discovered just last year, where a caretaker named Mr. Conglio withheld food from a military veteran and stole thousands from his monthly Social Security and pension benefits. Since these elderly are incredibly more vulnerable due to mental or physical deterioration, they are left to the mercy of their caregivers who have the opportunity to take advantage of this vulnerability.
With all of these startling statistics and horror stories, it is clear that elder abuse is a prominent problem here in America. Only 1 in 14 cases of elder abuse is ever reported and it is an epidemic that continues to be swept under the rug. Perhaps because our elder community is viewed as a burden to take care of, or useless in today’s fast-paced society, that this abuse and mistreatment continues. Yet, with the respect and love I harbor for my own grandfather, I know that this perspective is selfish and irresponsible towards the older generations that have forged so many paths for us already.
If you know someone suffering from elder abuse, please do not hesitate to call the elder abuse hotline which can be found for your state here.
