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Elder Care Neglect and Abuse – Should I Hire a Lawyer?

What is Elder Care Abuse?

Elder abuse refers to the intentional, negligent, or knowing act of causing harm to an elderly person or putting them at risk. Abusers may face increased penalties for elder abuse. Elder abuse could be made a crime. Victims of elder abuse may be eligible for civil damages.

Elder Abuse:

Elder abuse can happen anywhere. It is more common to occur where an elder lives. It could be at a nursing facility, assisted living facility, or in their own home.

There are many types of elder abuse

There are many types of elder abuse, including the ones listed below:

Abuse of the body

Inflicting injury, physical harm, or impairment on another person is known as physical abuse. Physical abuse can include hitting, biting, kicking, pushing, throwing objects at, or assaulting an elderly person. This includes the misuse of drugs, confining or retraining an elderly person.

Emotional elder abuse

Emotional elder abuse refers to the act of terrorizing or terrorizing an older person by yelling, threatening, and humiliating them.

Sexual Abuse

Any unwanted sexual contact with an elderly person without their consent is called sexual abuse. This could include making an elderly person sexy, showing them pornographic material, or forcing them to wear undresses.

Financial Exploitation

Financial exploitation refers to the unauthorized use of older persons’ income or property. A relative, caretaker, or another person who is familiar with the elderly may inflict financial exploitation. Scam artists, professionals such as an attorney, financial advisors, or insurance agents can also commit financial exploitation. Financial exploitation can include stealing money from an elderly person’s account, identity theft, taking cash from their bank accounts, stealing property, or misusing benefits, checks, or credit cards.

Neglect

Neglect refers to failing to meet a caretaking responsibility. This is the main cause of elder abuse cases. This can be either intentional or unintentional, depending on the circumstances.

Warn Signs

Elder abuse can be detected by a variety of warning signs. An elderly person may show signs of abuse, such as bruises, burn marks, or pressure marks. You may also notice behavioral signs, such as an elderly person withdrawing from their normal activities, showing signs and symptoms of depression, or responding differently to a caregiver. Blessing around the private area, infliction, or claims by an elderly person may indicate sexual abuse. Neglect can be reflected in bedsores, poor hygiene, and unattended medical care. A caregiver may control a person or make belittling threats to the victim. This could be an indication of emotional abuse. Unpaid bills, missing money, unusual purchases, and unauthorized debit card charges can all be indicators of financial exploitation. Elders may also be coerced to alter a will or power, or to use credit cards more often.

Risk Factors

There are many reasons why elderly people might be targeted. They are often more wealthy than their peers, which makes them attractive targets. Cognitive impairment can also affect elderly people, affecting their ability to recognize signs of abuse and report them to family law lawyers surrey bc enforcement. Elderly people are less capable of resisting bullying as they age. They may be afraid that if they are living on their own, reporting abuse to family members will convince them they need a home.

Legal assistance

People who care about the safety of their loved ones might be able to take action to help them. Contacting a relative or loved one in a nursing facility can help to prevent abuse and alert others more quickly if it does occur. A personal injury lawyer may be able to help you file a claim against the caregiver for abuse of the elderly person and the employer. The victim may be entitled to civil damages for their injuries and pain and suffering.