Senior Living News

If your loved one isn't quite ready for assisted living or memory care, home health agencies and adult day centers can help fill the gaps when you're at work or busy with other activities. To protect your loved one, familiarize yourself with possible signs of elder abuse and learn how to prevent it from happening.

Signs of Elder Abuse

When you think of elder abuse, perhaps you think of a frustrated caregiver lashing out after a tough day. Although physical abuse is a concern, elder abuse takes several other forms as well.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is when someone intentionally uses physical force against an elderly person. This type of force may cause bruising, cuts, scrapes, broken bones or other injuries. You should also be on the lookout for the following:

• Multiple injuries in various stages of healing (e.g., bruises in different shades of purple, dark yellow and green)
• Puncture marks in the skin
• Open wounds
• Dislocations
• Welts

Financial Abuse

Financial abuse is when someone takes an older person's assets without permission and uses them for their own gain. For example, a dishonest caregiver may take cash out of a senior's wallet and use it to buy themselves a new watch or an expensive pair of sunglasses. Financial abuse may also involve credit cards, checks, loans or valuable household items.

Watch for these signs of elder financial abuse:

• Unexplained account withdrawals
• Missing credit and/or ATM cards
• Sudden asset transfers to people you don't know
• Unexplained items on a credit card statement
• Forged signatures on loan applications
• Missing valuables (e.g., artwork, jewelry, fur coats, expensive electronics)
• Bank account balances that don't match your loved one's records

Emotional Abuse

When someone commits emotional elder abuse, they intentionally cause an older adult to experience emotional distress or anguish. For example, a caregiver may shout, ignore a senior's needs or threaten to withhold food and other necessities. Emotional abuse doesn't leave physical marks, so it's more difficult to detect. Talk to your loved one if you notice any of the following:

• Increased agitation
• Sudden changes in eating or sleeping habits
• Rocking back and forth, biting and other unusual behaviors
• Emotional withdrawal
• Unexpected personality changes
• Worsening anxiety
• Depression

Elder Neglect

Elder neglect is when someone fails to meet the physical or emotional needs of an older adult. If a caregiver neglects a senior's physical needs, you may notice the following:

• Untreated bedsores
• Sudden weight loss
• Sunken eyes, scaly skin and other signs of dehydration
• Untrimmed nails
• Body odor
• Tangled hair
• Bad breath

A senior with unmet emotional needs may display symptoms of anxiety or depression, such as restlessness, excessive worry, fatigue or loss of interest in activities they usually enjoy.

Tips for Preventing Elder Abuse

One of the best ways to prevent elder abuse is to vet caregivers thoroughly. If you plan to hire a personal care aide, use a reputable agency. At minimum, the agency should conduct background checks before hiring anyone who has direct contact with seniors and their family members.

Colorado requires all adult day centers to be certified by the Department of Public Health and Environment. If you plan to pay for adult day services, look for a certified center near your loved one's home. Ask the director or another representative to explain the staff screening process.

At some point, your loved one may need assisted living or memory care. To reduce the risk of elder abuse, it's important to choose the right community. Once you have a list of options in your area, take a tour of each one. As you walk through an assisted living community, take note of the following:

• Are the common areas clean and free of clutter?
• Do residents appear to be enjoying themselves?
• Does the community offer a variety of activities to suit seniors with different interests?
• Are staff members treating the residents with kindness and compassion?

During your tour, ask what the community does to protect residents from elder abuse and neglect. Colorado requires all assisted living communities to conduct thorough background checks on prospective employees. An assisted living community must also request an updated criminal history check if the administrator becomes aware that an employee may pose a risk to the health or safety of its residents. Your tour guide should be able to discuss this process in detail.

Additional Prevention Tips

You can also reduce the risk of elder abuse and neglect by following these tips:

• Lock up your loved one's valuables. If necessary, pay for a safe deposit box at a local bank.
• Monitor your loved one's accounts. Look for unusual transactions, unauthorized withdrawals and other discrepancies.
• Visit your loved one regularly. If possible, vary your schedule so staff members never know exactly when you're coming. Maintaining an unpredictable schedule may deter unscrupulous caregivers from committing abusive acts.
• Have your loved one request copies of their credit reports at least once per year. Check each report carefully for signs of identity theft, such as unfamiliar accounts or balances much larger than they should be.
• Band together with friends, neighbors and other family members to make sure your loved one has plenty of support.

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