Elderly people and children are
among some of the most vulnerable part of the population. They are often unable
to speak out, and they can be easily influenced or suppressed. Both groups are
reliant on others for support, which can be taken advantage of. But unlike
child abuse, elder abuse is talked about less frequently. It is often
underreported as well.
For every incidence of reported elder abuse, there are five unreported ones. This type of
abuse can consist of emotional, physical, and financial ways of exerting
control. This is one of the primary reasons many people are afraid of sending
their elderly parents to nursing homes and hospitals. While that may be
unavoidable in certain circumstances, here are some things that you can do to
make sure that your elderly mother or father is safe.
Put effort into improving communication
The best way to find out if your
elderly parent is getting abused is to communicate with them frequently. Pay
visits and hold daily phone calls. If your parent lives in a nursing home,
leaving them isolated will open them up for abuse. Instead of keeping them
isolated, always make sure to include them. Pay visits often, or bring them
home for a couple of days if necessary. This will keep them strong mentally.
They will be able to speak up if they have experienced something unpleasant.
Part of communication is to be observant and to watch out for the signs of
elder abuse.
Keep them at home if possible
The best way to ensure that
elderly people are not being exposed to an unsafe environment is to have them
at home. You can assign a caregiver to look after them, though the caregiver
will also have to be monitored. This can be harder for those who are sick,
those who suffer from a chronic illness, or those who require frequent doctor
visits. There are home health care
service providers like Serenity Home
Health who
can simplify the process for you by giving them treatment or therapy at home.
Be careful of financial decisions
Always be wary of an outsider
suddenly factoring into their financial decisions. Keep an eye on their
financials with their permission. If you notice anything strange, ask them
about it. Caregivers or family members can often coerce them to rewrite their
wills.
Keep them updated from modern scams
Most elderly people are not
familiar with modern scams carried out online. Before hooking them up to the
Internet, explain the dangers of scams and fraud. Tell them to never put in
their financial information online or talk to strangers. Help them
differentiate bots and spam. They should also be guided in avoiding making
friends with strangers on the Internet. Remember that this world is quite new
to them, so they need help getting accustomed.
The most important step that you
can take to protect your elderly parent is to keep them aware. Stay in touch,
and be there for them when necessary. Elder abuse can be of many
types. Although it can happen, taking these steps will significantly lower the
chance of it happening to your parent.
Tags
Lifestyle