Elder abuse & neglect can take many forms including physical, emotional, psychological and financial.

Physical Abuse

Includes physical force that may result in bodily injury or physical pain. Physical abuse includes acts such as striking, hitting, beating, pushing, shoving, shaking, slapping, kicking, pinching, and burning. Inappropriate use of drugs and physical restraints, force-feeding, and physical punishment are also examples.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual contact of any kind without permission, as well as sexual contact with any person incapable of giving consent.

Emotional or Psychological Abuse

Causing mental pain by threatening, intimidating, humiliating, harassing, or isolating an older person or dependent adult.

Neglect

Failure to provide care to a frail or impaired person by not providing life necessities such as food, water, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene, medicine, comfort, or personal safety. If a caregiver has assumed financial responsibilities, refusal to pay for these necessities can be considered abuse.

Financial Abuse

Illegal or improper use of an elder's or dependent adult’s money, property, or assets. Examples include cashing a person’s checks without permission, forging a signature, misusing or stealing money or possessions, coercing or deceiving a person into signing any document (e.g., contracts or will), and the improper use of legal documents.

Abandonment

Leaving an elder or dependent adult alone in a situation that could harm them is abuse.

Abduction

Removal from California of any elder or dependent adult who does not have the capacity to consent can be abuse, or removal of a conservatee without the consent of the conservator or the court.

Isolation

Isolation can be abuse when someone violates the personal rights of an elder or dependent adult. Abuse by isolation can take the form of false imprisonment and restraint, preventing delivery of mail, telephone calls, or visiting from family, friends, and service providers.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence in late life is violence between spouses, intimate partners, or couples who are dating. This can be physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, and can occur in both heterosexual and homosexual couples.

Self-neglect

Self-neglect is when an elder or dependent adult is unable or unwilling to provide for his or her own health or safety. For example, refusal or failure to provide self with adequate food, water, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene, medication, or safety precautions.

Risk Factors for Elder Abuse

• Female
• Older (+80 years)
• Isolated (including language barrier)
• Low income
• Physical or mental impairment
• Substance abuse (by caregiver or by older person)
• Psychological disorders (of caregiver or of older person)
• Previous history of family violence
• Caregiver burnout or frustration

If you know an elder or dependant adult, you can help protect them from elder abuse by watching for the following indicators of mistreatment.

General Indicators

Reluctance to provide access or answer questions; implausible or vague explanations for situation; irregular pattern of behavior.

Home

Newspapers/mail accumulating; lack of attention to house; large numbers of people using home; drug activity; odd noises, bad odors.

Financial

Irregular pattern of spending/withdrawals; frequent purchases of inappropriate items; withdrawals made in spite of penalties; bills not paid; utilities turned off; talks about meeting a "new best friend."

Physical Signs

Multiple bruises; pattern injuries; elder lacks necessary helping devices.

Mental Health/Emotional Signs

Elder is depressed, appears to have dementia, shows signs of anxiety, fears a caregiver, and/or is isolated by the caregiver.

Caregiver

Caregiver is excessively concerned about costs of services or supplies, attempts to dominate elder, is verbally abusive of elder or you, and/or shows evidence of substance abuse or mental health problems. Financial dependence on the elder is also a warning sign.