Introduction
Abuse and violence, especially against the elderly, has received increasing global concern of the recent years (Lachs & Pillemer, 2004, p.1263). The individuals, who have been incapacitated due to ageing, receive cruel treatment from the others on whom they depend for various kinds of support. They depend on the others for food, clothing, and other forms of daily care routines like bathing. They also need some kind of psychological support due to the loneliness they tend to develop. The youthful and energetic members of the society have the responsibility to provide proper care to the elderly who cannot provide for themselves or take care of themselves. However, this is not the case being observed in the contemporary society. The kind of cruel treatment provided to the elderly would include physical abuse, psychological abuse, are spiritual pain. The elderly may be physically hurt, denied access to food, proper medication, proper clothing, and shelter, or left unwashed for several days or weeks. They may be lied to or robbed of their personal and financial belongings by the caregivers (WHO, 2012). These result into further stress and depression that are of adverse mental effects. A feeling that they receive poor treatment because they have developed an inability haunts the elderly posing the health challenges.
The number of individuals who die annually following interpersonal violence in the world is very high, around 1.6 million people (Zoucha, 2006, p.195). The proportion of the elderly individuals is high in this population. There is need to appreciate the contribution that these ageing groups of individual made towards the development of a given society. The members of the society should be aware of the mechanisms of identifying an elderly individual who is a victim of violence and abuse. The public should be informed of the necessary steps that they can take when they have such an encounter. This calls for education of the different stakeholders that are involved in the provision of care for the vulnerable groups like the elderly. Recent researches have show that physicians are not familiar with the procedures of reporting cases of elderly abuse (Taylor et al, 2006, p.404). This paper is an educational program and illuminates on the identification of abused elderly and the resolution mechanisms that can be adopted. It focuses on the system that is used to manage elderly abuse in Illinois state, US. The system is typical of the procedures that are applicable in the other states of the US and across the globe.
Aims of this educational program
The educational program is aimed at enabling the healthcare workers as well as the public to identify the victims of elderly abuse. The health workers should be able to identify the victims through their physical appearance, their behavior, and emotions, or through a mechanism of communication of the affected victims. The information can be obtained from the victims, the caregivers, healthcare workers, friends and any other individual who is associated with the elderly victim.
The educated individuals should also be able to report cases of elderly abuse and violence to the relevant authority. The protocol to be followed is illustrated. It also aims at putting emphasis on the importance consistent checking of the kind of care provided to the elderly.
About elderly abuse
An elderly abuse refers to any action that increases the risks of an elderly person to some form of harm (MedlinePlus, 2011). It refers to doing something or failing to do something that eventually causes harm to the elderly. Thus, an elderly abuse can take three different forms. Firstly, it could involve a direct physical, psychological, or sexual abuse of the elderly victims. The abuse could also involve neglecting the responsibility of caring for the elderly individuals by the relevant individuals like family members or care providers. The third kind of abuse involves robbing the elderly victim of his resources and misappropriating the resources (MedlinePlus, 2011, para.2). These forms of abuses can be committed by the family members or the caregivers in the healthcare or community primary care centers. They may as well be caused by high poverty levels in the families and lack of adequate facilities in the centers. The inabilities developed by the aging individual then become a burden to the family members or the caregiver (HelpGuide, 2011).
Identification of the abused elderly in the society
Recent researches have shown that cases of elder abuse are on the increase in the US. However, it has also been observed that it is never easy to identify such victims of elder abuse who are mistreated by those that they depend on (Cooper, Selwood, & Livingston, 2008, p.151). Some of the elderly abuse can be easily observed by a professional whereas others require the professional to probe further. The effects of physical abuse may be evidenced by the injuries that are sustained. The shapes of objects that were used to physical assault the victims may be used by the professional (Lachs & Pillemer, 2004 p.1266). The elderly may be confined to some filthy and unhealthy environment. Thus, hygienic conditions can also be used by the professional to detect possible abuse. The professional can also probe to investigate other forms of abuse like sexual abuse. Apart from the physical sex acts, showing pornographic movies to the elderly is also form of physical abuse (HelpGuide, 2011). Information can also be obtained from the others who are related to the victim. The professional may also interview the alleged perpetrator, who will provide his or her side of the story.
Reporting suspected elderly abuse
Elderly abuse is one of the significant social issues in the United States. An estimate of 4-10% of adults aged 65 and above or victims o some form of abuse (Taylor et al, 2006, p.403). As such, all the states have developed legislation against the vice. Even though the legal provisions are different in the various states, each of the state has a protocol for reporting suspected cases of elderly abuse (MedlinePlus, 2011, para.3). It should be noted that some of the victims of elderly abuse are often reluctant to report abuses against them. Shame and fear of retaliation by the abusers are among the reasons that make such individuals suffer quietly (Kruegler et al, 1997, p.1098). Other cases are not reported due to lack of reporting protocol by the physicians.
In Illinois, a nationwide program was initiated in the late 1980s that would manage reports of observed elder abuse. The Illinois Elder Abuse and Neglect Act were adopted as a law in 1988 to offer protection against elderly abuse (University of Illinois Extension, 2011). The Illinois Department on Aging (IDOA) was responsible for the implementation of the program whereas the Illinois Department Health investigate into the elder abuse allegations (University of Illinois Extension, 2011). The abused elderly individuals who can report for themselves are encouraged to provide voluntary reports. For the individuals who cannot seek assistance for themselves, the health care professionals will provide mandatory reports of alleged elder abuse and neglect to the State Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (SLTCOP). The mandated reporters are protected by laws against any criminal acts by the perpetrators of the abuse or any other parties involved (University of Illinois Extension, 2011). The IDOA also has a hotline through which calls can be made to report alleged elder abuse.
Conclusion
It is then necessary to note that the management of cases of elderly abuse is a collective responsibility. In as much the government agencies strive to eliminate the practice, the professionals and the public should be in the forefront to help implement the government efforts. The abused victims should be free to share their experiences with at least some of their friends so that they may be helped. The professionals and any individuals who have such information should not be reluctant to report the cases for fear of criminal attack on them since there are legal provisions against this.
References
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Helpguide. (2011). Elder Abuse and Neglect: Warning Signs, Risk Factors, Prevention, and Help. Web.
Kruegler, P. et al. (1997). Detecting and managing elder abuse: challenges in primary care. Canadian Medical Association, 157(8); 1095-1100. Web.
Lachs, M. and Pillemer, K. (2004). Elder Abuse. The Lancet, 364; 1263-1271. Web.
MedlinePlus. (2011). Elderly abuse. Web.
Taylor, D. et al. (2006). Assessing Barriers to the Identification of Elder Abuse and Neglect: A Communitywide Survey of Primary Care Physicians.Journal of the National Medical Association, 8(3); 403-404. Web.
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Zoucha, R. (2006). Considering culture in understanding interpersonal violence. Journal of Forensic Nursing, 2, 195-196. Web.