{"id":1885,"date":"2012-06-15T10:00:35","date_gmt":"2012-06-15T14:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hnetalk.com\/?p=1885"},"modified":"2012-06-15T10:00:35","modified_gmt":"2012-06-15T14:00:35","slug":"your-elders-keeper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/hnetalk.com\/home\/2012\/06\/15\/your-elders-keeper\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Elders Keeper"},"content":{"rendered":"

Respect your elders and the world will respect you<\/em> ~ Saeed Ahmed<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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This blog may not be fun, or funny or cynical, like my posts usually are \u2013 but it\u2019s actually quite important to me.\u00a0 (And if you just click away without reading it, I hope you feel horribly guilty and get the hiccups for the rest of your day!\u00a0 Yes, I\u2019m immature.\u00a0 What of it?)<\/p>\n

Now, did you know that June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day?\u00a0 Did you know that, according to www.mass.gov<\/a>,\u00a0 the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs, Protective Services received more than 18,000 reports of abuse in 2011 \u2014 an increase from the year before? In fact, the rise in numbers of cases is part of a worrisome trend. Among the reasons for the escalating rates of abuse and neglect are the economic challenges and the isolation of seniors. There are always unscrupulous people who will prey on older people who seem vulnerable.<\/p>\n

You might not recognize signs of elder abuse. In fact, many of the signs and symptoms do overlap with symptoms of mental decline, but that doesn\u2019t mean you should dismiss them.<\/p>\n

If you suspect elder abuse, but aren’t sure, look for the following signs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Physical abuse<\/strong><\/td>\n\n
    \n
  • Unexplained injuries such as bruises, welts, or scars, especially if they appear symmetrically on two side of the body<\/li>\n
  • Broken bones, sprains, or dislocations<\/li>\n
  • Report of drug overdose or apparent failure to take medication regularly (a prescription has more remaining than it should)<\/li>\n
  • Broken eyeglasses<\/li>\n
  • Signs of being restrained, such as rope marks on wrists<\/li>\n
  • Caregiver\u2019s refusal to allow you to see the elder alone<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Emotional abuse<\/strong><\/td>\nIn addition to the general signs above, indications of emotional elder abuse include<\/p>\n
    \n
  • Threatening, belittling, or controlling caregiver behavior that you witness<\/li>\n
  • Behavior from the elder that mimics dementia, such as rocking, sucking, or mumbling to oneself<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sexual abuse<\/strong><\/td>\n\n
    \n
  • Bruises around breasts or genitals<\/li>\n
  • Unexplained sexually transmitted diseases or genital infections<\/li>\n
  • Unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding<\/li>\n
  • Torn, stained, or bloody underclothing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Neglect by caregivers or self-neglect<\/strong><\/td>\n\n