Every year, it is estimated that 2.1 million older Americans adults are victims of physical, psychological,
or other forms of abuse and neglect each year. Why do I say estimated? Because the American Psychological Association reports for every elder abuse case that is reported there are five that
not have been reported. 
       Where does most elder abuse occur? Right in the home where the older person is living. The great majority of older Americans live on their own, or with their spouses, children, siblings, or other relatives - not in institutional settings.
      Who is doing the abusing - which can include actual physical abuse, financial exploitation or active or passive neglect? Shockingly, adult children are the most frequent abusers of the elderly. Spouses, 
other family members, and caregivers are ranked as the next most likely abusers of the elderly. When
it comes to the gender of the perpetrators, it’s pretty evenly divided today between the sexes. 
However, the majority of victims of elder abuse are women. 
     What are some of the reasons that cause elder caretakers to become abusers? The National Academy of Aging believes that  in some cases, elder abuse is simply a continuation of abuse that has been occurring in the family for many years. If a woman has been continually abused by her husband, she is not likely to report abuse when she is very old and in poor health.  On the other hand, a woman
who has been abused for years may turn her rage on her husband when his health fails. Also, adult children, who experienced violence growing up, may turn the tables on their abusive parents when they become disabled and withhold needed care. 
     I personally believe that family stress is the culprit that most often triggers elder abuse. When a frail or disabled older parent moves into a family member’s home, the lifestyle adjustments that have to be made can be overwhelming. 
In addition, some families find themselves with an additional burden paying for the health care an aging parent needs. This is particularly difficult, when the adult has no financial resources other than those of the aging parent. 
     Elder abuse can also occur in nursing homes. At any given time about four percent of older adults live in nursing homes. While most nursing home citations in 2001 were relatively minor, one in 10 were for incidents that placed residents at risk of death or serious injury.
     Now comes the important question. 
   What can be done to prevent  elder abuse?
    Congress - in particular the Senate Aging Committee - has proposed some excellent preventive measures to address elder abuse problems in long term care facilities. They include such things as mandatory criminal checks for all staff members and mandatory reporting by long term care facilities of suspected elder abuse. Fines for noncompliance could range up to $100,000. 
      When it comes to elder abuse in the home, the first step is education. The public, law enforcement, judges and lawyers need to know what elder abuse is and what signs to look for. Bank personnel should be trained to recognize when something is amiss in an elderly person’s financial situation.
     I also believe that there needs to be a national policy on elder abuse. Right now, each state has different standards about who should be protected and what form that protection should take. They also need to develop a national elder abuse prosecution system that is modeled after the very successful child abuse prosecution system.
    Where can you learn more about elder abuse or get help?
    For general information, go to the elderabusecenter.org web site.
For help with a particular problem in a nursing home, your home, 
or someone else’s, start with your Area Agency on Aging. Their number is in the yellow pages. They can refer you to someone in their ombudsman program, which works in nursing homes. They can also help you locate respite services that can help prevent abuse and neglect. 
      Finally if you want to help relatives or friends who don’t live near you, call the Eldercare Locator number: 1-800-677-1116