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What Is The Most Common Type Of Elder Abuse?

Abuse can have a severe effect on our lives, be it emotional or physical; abuse is never okay. In today’s world, no one is safe from abuse, be it a child, an adult or an older person.

But what saddens me the most is the abuse faced by older people. What hurts me the most is how we treat them, how society treats them. Elders are facing abuse, and it’s time it should stop. To stop the abuse, we should educate ourselves. We should know what is the most common type of elder abuse?

Types of Elder Abuse

The National Institute of Elder Abuse had identifies seven types of elder abuse, but the most common three types of abuse are:

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is defined as when an elder has been hit with some physical force, that includes beating, pushing, slapping, kicking, force-feeding, or given the wrong medicines.

Warning signs of physical abuse are fractures, bruising, unexplained marks on body, sprains, wounds, dislocation, behavior changes, etc.

Financial Abuse:

Financial abuse of an elder means illegal use of their property and finances, or stealing money from them, or taking advantage of being their power of attorney.

Warning signs of financial abuse are transferring property to someone that is not family, changes in the will, forged signatures or documents, unexplained transactions.

Neglection of Elders

This type of abuse means failing to take care of them and are not able to provide them with enough care and supplies they need to live a comfortable life.

Warning signs of financial abuse are malnutrition, bedsores, dehydration, failed treatments, etc.

The type of abuse doesn’t matter if you see an older person facing abuse or threat, report it to the nearest nursing home because it is time abuse should stop.