Elder abuse
According to research, older people are more likely to experience abuse than younger generations. Changes in family patterns in modern society can lead to emotional and financial hardship for senior citizens. The elderlies’ position can become even more vulnerable when they fear greater loneliness awaiting them if they complain about aggression or outright violence by relatives or caretakers.
Abuse can be of various kinds.
- Mental abuse is when someone threatens you, belittles you or makes you feel bad.
- Physical abuse is when someone hurts you, for example, pinches you, punches you, holds you, kicks you, beats you, or abuses your medication. Marks, lacerations, unexplained injuries, burns and poor skin condition is also physical abuse.
- Sexual abuse is when someone gropes you, makes you do something sexual that you don’t want to do or when you could not consent to something due to impairment.
- Financial abuse is when someone extorts money from you, steals or misuses your money or creates pressure regarding the use of your money. Also when a financial guardian doesn’t supply necessities, money for necessities is lacking or when documents are signed without you understanding their content.
- Digital abuse is when someone uses devices or technology to monitor you, threaten you, harass you or humiliate you.
- Negligence is when physical care or medication is not properly taken care of. If an elderly individual is visibly malnourished or suffers from dehydration, has poor clothing or doesn’t receive care due to illness or injuries, then it is also negligence, as well as when a caretaker does not take care of the elderly’s need for health care.
You can contact 112 if you feel that someone has violated your rights or abused you.