In 2014–2015, the
National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly (NICE; www.nicenet.ca)
conducted a national telephone survey to estimate the prevalence of five forms
of elder abuse in community-dwelling Canadians who were 55 years of age and
older. A representative sample of 8,163 older Canadians completed the survey,
which provided information about the rates of, and risk factors for, (1)
neglect, (2) psychological abuse, (3) physical abuse, (4) sexual abuse and (5)
financial exploitation.
This study was the
largest study of the prevalence of elder abuse ever conducted in the world and
had some surprising results.Elder abuse and neglect were not quite as
widespread in the community as previously thought. About 7.5% of older adults,
or 75 of every 1,000 older Canadians, were abused in the previous year.
Looked at another way, approximately 695,248 older Canadians were abused in the last year. When neglect was added to psychological, physical, sexual and financial abuse, the number jumped to 82 of every 1,000 older people, or 8.2%, representing 766,247 older Canadian adults. The most common form of abuse was psychological or emotional abuse, which affected 2.7% of older Canadians daily or almost daily.
Looked at another way, approximately 695,248 older Canadians were abused in the last year. When neglect was added to psychological, physical, sexual and financial abuse, the number jumped to 82 of every 1,000 older people, or 8.2%, representing 766,247 older Canadian adults. The most common form of abuse was psychological or emotional abuse, which affected 2.7% of older Canadians daily or almost daily.
Psychological attacks involved older adults
being repeatedly criticized, yelled and shouted at or insulted. Financial abuse
was the second most frequent form of elder abuse in Canada, affecting 2.6% of
older adults. Financial abuse usually involved perpetrators trying to make the
older person give them money or taking the older person’s money, possessions or
property. Physical abuse was the third most common form of elder abuse and
affected 2.2% of older people. Physical assaults usually involved people being
pushed, shoved, grabbed or hit and insulted.
Fewer older Canadians
were sexually assaulted but still 1.6% of the survey respondents reported being
sexually abused in the past 12 months. Lastly, 1.2% of older adults were
neglected a few times or more in the last year; this usually involved not
getting the help they needed with housework and meals. Very few of the older
Canadians who participated in the survey were ill or very frail, most were in
their sixties and early seventies and most had higher levels of education.
If you are on the
lookout for elder abuse, signs of depression and abuse at earlier stages of
life (childhood, youth, middle age) may be strong indicators that someone might
be at risk for abuse. One of best defenses against elder abuse and neglect is
for older adults themselves to be able to recognize the risks for, and signs
of, mistreatment in their own dealings and in those of others. If you want more
information, contact NICE, which has a wealth of “pocket tools” on elder abuse and neglect.
Why is Elder Abuse a
hidden problem?
Because the victim
may...
• Fear of abandonment and/or reprisal
• Lacks information on Elder Abuse, resources
and services
• Avoids shame and embarrassment
• Desires to keep family issues ‘behind closed
doors’
• Is ashamed of having raised an abusive child
• Fears that abusive child(ren) will be jailed
• Is unable to communicate (cognitive
impairment)
• Feels he/she can solve the problem ALONE
• Inexperience of caregiver, professional (as a
witness)
• Caregiver/special lacks training and
knowledge of resources
Source: Recognizing Elder Abuse
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