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Preventing Abuse and
Neglect |
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| Preventing
Abuse and Neglect in Later Life |
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Older adults can experience several different kinds of harms from people they
rely on or trust. Abuse and neglect in later life can affect an adult’s
health, happiness and safety.
Abuse is not limited to
older adults of any particular culture, ethnic group, social background or religion.
Approximately one in 12 or 46,000 older adults in British Columbia experience
abuse or neglect at some point. Abuse of older adults can occur at home, in
the community or in institutional settings. Those who abuse are most often family
members (the person’s spouse or children), but they can also include friends,
landlords and staff.
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What types of abuse or neglect can older adults experience? |
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Abuse and neglect can take
many forms, including physical, emotional, financial, sexual, spiritual or social.
Some types of abuse and neglect violate the older adult's basic rights and several
types are crimes.
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Physical abuse
includes violence or rough treatment, even if it does not leave an injury.
A push that might not hurt a younger person can be very harmful to an older
adult.
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Emotional abuse
includes name calling, intimidation, threats or any treatment that offends
an older person’s sense of dignity and self-worth. Emotional abuse is
often a way that people attempt to control an older person.
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Financial abuse
is the most common form of abuse that older adults face. Examples of financial
abuse include pressuring an older adult with requests for money; family or
other people using an older adult’s property or money without the person’s
full knowledge and consent or the improper use of power of attorney.
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Sexual abuse
is when a person pressures an older adult for intimacy or sexually harasses
or sexually assaults them. Sexual abuse can also include sexual comments or
jokes, touching or leering. People of any age can experience sexual abuse,
and it happens more often to older women than older men.
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Violations of
rights means ignoring older adults’ rights to privacy, information
or community supports. In some cases, rules or policies may violate an older
adult’s rights.
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Neglect refers
to situations where a person has a duty to provide care or assistance to an
older adult, but does not. For example, the caregiver might stop paying the
bills or providing food, medication or other forms of assistance that the
older adult needs. Some people may do this on purpose. Others simply do not
know how to help.
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Why does abuse happen? |
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Some people learn to use
violence and control in their relationships with other people. Many people in
society have negative beliefs about older people or may not understand them.
Others do not treat older adults with respect. This may increase the risk of
abuse or may be the excuse people use for their abusive behaviour.
Some people experience personal
problems or stresses that may increase their risk of harming or neglecting others.
Living together with older adults or poverty may create family tensions and
may lead to abuse or neglect. In some cases, family pride can keep abuse hidden,
but caring communities can also help protect people from abuse and neglect.
It does not matter who the abuser is, or what the person’s reason is,
no one deserves to be abused or mistreated.
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| Abuse and neglect hurt |
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When abuse or neglect
happens to an older adult, it often affects the person’s physical and emotional
health. Abused older adults lose trust and sometimes begin to question their own
judgment and decision making. They can feel depressed and even suicidal. Abusers
can also feel mixed emotions about their harmful behaviour. Abuse and neglect
have significant impacts on families and communities.
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| Abuse and neglect can
be prevented |
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Abuse or neglect rarely stops by itself. It takes many people working together
to make it stop. There is no law in British Columbia that requires people to
report abuse and neglect of older adults. However, you can help an abused or
neglected senior to get help and prevent the situation from getting worse.
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Recognize abuse and
neglect and speak up about it.
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Listen to the older person
in a non-judgmental manner.
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Respect the person's
choices.
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Know where to call to
get information.
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If you are a service provider working with older adults: |
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help older adults and
families learn more about their rights and responsibilities;
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help older adults build
or regain their confidence and skills;
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help to reduce the person's
social isolation; and
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have appropriate resources
in place to help older adults and families.
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| For More Information |
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If you discover
a crime or dangerous situation is occurring to an older adult, call the police
or 911 immediately.
If you are not sure if an older person is being abused or neglected and you
want to talk to a health professional, you can call the BC NurseLine 24 hours
a day for information and advice.
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For resources available
in your community, con-tact the Home and Community Care Office
in your local health authority or contact the B.C. Coalition
to Eliminate Abuse of Seniors at 604-437-1940 or at
www.bcceas.ca.
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The staff of your local
Home and Community Care Office has a responsibility to investigate
more serious reports of suspected abuse or neglect of vulnerable adults. The
Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee may be able to help
if the older adult is not mentally capable of making decisions or judging their
own ability to live at risk.
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Victim Link
also provides information for victims of family and sexual violence and crime.
You can call 1-800-563-0808 any time and from anywhere in British Columbia.
Victim Link offers multi-language services and services for people who are deaf
or hearing impaired.
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| Source: Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Health |
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