Causes And Types Of Elder Abuse
Introduction
It is shown that burnout amongst staff employed in nursing and care homes for the elderly is a significant problem reported across the globe, with implications for the wellbeing of patients, providers and staff. In the interest of patients, it is important to recognize and to address the high rates of staff burnout in practice settings.
With a global explosion in the older adult population, elder abuse is expected to become an even more pressing problem, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. Elder abuse is associated with devastating individual consequences and societal costs, meriting attention as a serious public health issue. Elder abuse is likely the most widespread problem of older people that is largely preventable unlike many disease conditions of old age.
Studies show one out of ten people over 60 will report elder abuse in the next year. Therefore, a better understanding of causes and prevention of elder abuse should be a major international priority. This paper will explore the causes of elder abuse, types of abuse, and how to prevent it.
Literature Review
Risk Factors. In the interest of patients, it is important to recognize and to address the high rates of staff burnout in practice settings. Moreover, given that burnout can result in serious health risks for staff and their families, it must also be recognized as a significant occupational health problem warranting the attention of employers, unions, policy makers, and the community of occupational health professionals. This article looks at different causes for burnout which lead to elder abuse. The study was conducted by searching many different peer reviewed articles. The study was limited to articles posted after year 2000 and written in English. The results showed those who work in a nursing home are at a higher risk for burnout which then leads to abuse. They often have a more cynical attitude. It also varied on the type of nursing home and size. Public, larger nursing home workers were more at risk for burnout. (Harrad & Sulla, 2018)
Effects of Elder Abuse. Elder abuse is a multifaceted and pervasive public health issue which includes physical, sexual and emotional abuse, financial exploitation and neglect (caregiver neglect and self-neglect). It is estimated that only a fraction of elder abuse cases comes to the attention of the adult protective services. This article (Dong, 2012) goes into detail about the different types of elder abuse and their effects on the older adult. Elder abuse in any form can be considered a stressful life event that may have negative effects on older adults' physical and mental health, as the literature suggests that elder abuse is associated with an increased risk of premature morbidity and mortality. In this study, the authors looked at quantitative and qualitative measures to study the relationship between elder abuse and is psychological effects on the older adult. The authors looked at many different peer reviewed journals to find the link between elder abuse and depression, loneliness, PTSD, and perceived stress.
Types of elder abuse. This article (Kohn, 2019) explains there are many different forms of abuse and how this is related to caregiver burnout. Types of abuse include verbal, sexual, financial, and neglect. In a survey of 3005 people between the ages of 57-85, 9% were found to have been verbally abused, 0.2% physically abused and 3.5% experienced financial abuse. It is thought that one in ten elders has experienced some form of abuse in the last year. Macneil, 2012 examines verbal abuse in a community of those with alzheimers disease. 254 caregivers completed a questionnaire to determine the frequency of verbal abuse. Over 60% of caregivers self-reported committing verbal abuse and 74% of family members state they have witnessed a family member being verbally abused. Risk factors include caregivers being a female, patients diminished level of consciousness, and feelings of hassle. This article shows that feeling overworked in your job and being burned out may directly lead to abusing the elderly.
Risk factors of abuse and burnout. Studies report the main risk factor of elder abuse is caregiver burnout. More risk factors relating to the caregiver include: 1) being responsible for a person over the age of 75. 2) Living constantly with this individual. 3) inexperienced in caregiving. 4) relationship conflict. 5) isolation and lack of support. 6) history of alcohol abuse or mental illness.
How to Prevent abuse. Elderly abuse is with those who have burned out caregivers. The best way to avoid elder abuse is to frequently screen caregivers for anger levels, depression, provide a support system, and ensure proper knowledge. Emotional support needs to be provided for caregivers in order to prevent burnout which often leads to elder abuse.
Risk factors for abusers. Macneil provides a study in which the mental health of caregivers was looked at and compared with rates of elder abuse. The study examined the ability of anger to cause resentment towards the patient. In this study, researchers looked at family relationships and caregivers to determine how anger and abuse are related.
It was found that anger is directly related to potentially harmful behavior. Anger occurs when the caregiver becomes overwhelmed and burnout of their job. Identifying levels of anger among caregivers could help decrease the risk of elder abuse. Screening for resentment towards patients should also be done frequently to avoid unhealthy behaviors.
