When you think about abusive situations, you may think about someone getting hit or being berated by another person. Verbal assault and physical abuse are both common forms of abuse that elders face, but they’re not the only kinds.
In fact, there are seven different kinds of abuse that people face every day. These kinds of abuse may lead to serious consequences for the victims, especially when they’re elderly victims.
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is the main type of abuse people discuss. It includes actions like pinching, slapping, hitting, shoving, kicking, the use of drugs to control someone or the use of physical restraints.
Emotional abuse
Emotional abuse can include actions such as isolating someone from their loved ones, ridiculing them, harassing them, intimidating them or causing them mental or emotional pain.
Self-neglect
Self-neglect is a type of abuse people take against themselves. This is usually when a vulnerable person cannot provide for themselves adequately.
Neglect
Neglect is a kind of abuse that may take place in nursing homes or elsewhere. It happens when someone vulnerable is not given the care they need. For example, failing to provide an elderly person with dinner or enough water could be neglect.
Abandonment
Abandonment is a kind of abuse that happens when a vulnerable adult is left without the care they need. For example, taking an elder out of a nursing home and leaving them alone in the community when they’re supposed to be monitored and cared for would be seen as abandonment.
Financial abuse
Financial abuse happens when someone exploits an elder to improperly and illegally obtain their assets or income.
Sexual abuse
Finally, there is sexual abuse, which includes any unwanted sexual contact such as sexually explicit photographing, unwanted touching and coerced nudity.
Any of these kinds of elder abuse are completely unacceptable. If you notice signs of abuse, like your loved one acting unusual or having more injuries or bruises than normal, it’s important to take steps to protect them. You may be able to make a claim against the nursing home or your loved one’s caregiver for the actions or inactions that have harmed your loved one.