World Elder Abuse Day ATB The Golden Girls

June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Dedicated to bringing awareness to the ways elders around the world are often mistreated, abused and scammed, WEAAD has existed since 2006. We thought it’d be the perfect time to educate all of you on elder abuse with the help of our favorite ladies - The Golden Girls!

1. Many Americans Face Elder Abuse.

Even simple telephone scams are considered elder abuse. In fact, the National Center on Elder Abuse reports that 1 in 10 Americans over the age of 60 have experienced elder abuse. This includes telephone scams from strangers, theft of medications by caretakers and even sexual violence in nursing homes.

2. Isolation is a Big Factor to Likelihood of Abuse.

Many elders don’t want to leave their homes, but the isolation that comes with it can lead to increased rates of elder abuse. Isolation typically occurs when the elders' friends and loved ones either pass away or move away - when someone’s support network is gone, they tend to isolate themselves.

3. Watching for Signs Can Save an Elder’s Life.

The signs of elder abuse can appear emotionally, physically and even financially. It’s important that, if you ever care for an elder, you look out for these signs. While some appear more violent than others, such as broken bones or sexual trauma, you shouldn’t ignore mysterious withdrawals on bank accounts or sadness within your loved one. Some of the smaller symptoms can lead to larger ones, so watch out for signs.

4. Organizations Exist to Help.

There are plenty of organizations across the country that can assist elders and caretakers in addressing elder abuse. From prevention to intervention, organizations such as the National Council on Elder Abuse and the Administration for Community Living all work to eradicate elder abuse.

5. Certain Medical Conditions can Lead to Elder Abuse.

When elders experience medical conditions such as dementia, it can lead to a higher susceptibility for elder abuse. It also gets difficult to ascertain what is elder abuse and what isn’t among patients with dementia because of the stages of the disease, etc.

6. Caregiver Stress can Influence Elder Abuse.

Caregivers can experience higher levels of stress once they start serving in the caretaker role. This stress can ultimately lead to burn out, where caregivers start to treat their elderly loved ones poorly without realizing it. As a caregiver, it is important that you access support groups or take time for yourself (exercise, sleep regular hours, etc) to remain in good health. You can’t take care of your loved ones well if you can’t take care of yourself.