Elder abuse: prevention depends on education
By Jaye L. Martin
The Maine Council for Elder Abuse Prevention (see www.elderabuseprevention.info ) and the GFWC Maine Federation of Women’s Clubs (see www.gfwcmaine.org ) jointly sponsored a statewide scholarship contest focused on raising awareness of elder abuse in Maine. The winner of the contest will receive $1,000 and the runner-up will receive $500. With an estimated one out of every nine Maine seniors becoming victims of elder abuse each year, it is of critical importance that more Mainers of all ages learn about this serious issue.
Students applying for the scholarship were asked to respond to the following question: What is elder abuse and what does it mean to you? Essays were received from nearly every one of Maine’s 16 counties. The winner in each county was eligible to compete for the statewide award. The winner and runner-up in the statewide contest will be announced on June 15 which is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
The winning essay in Piscataquis County and runner-up in the statewide contest was Kolby Kain from Dexter Regional High School. Here is the text of her winning essay:
As of 2006, June 15 was designated as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Elder abuse has always been present in our world but has recently been brought to the attention of everyday people. Abuse is a very serious thing in our world and elder abuse is a part of that. Elder abuse is also associated with domestic violence. The abuse usually takes place by a spouse, family member, neighbor, or caregiver. Elder abuse has many forms such as emotional, this includes verbally shaming, criticizing, and any form of humiliation. It could also be physical, hitting, kicking, restraining, giving excessive medication or withholding medication. Another major form of elder abuse is financially taking advantage of them which is a slower, less noticeable form of abuse. Using their money or valuables without their permission. Also there is sexual abuse, abandonment and neglect.
Elder abuse has many health consequences towards the victim. Their everyday functional abilities begin to decline after being neglected and left sitting or in their beds. They get no physical activity so their muscles get rapidly weaker. Their dependency becomes increased as well as their sense of helplessness. They also suffer from depression as welI as dementia. Many also suffer from malnutrition because they cannot feed themselves or prepare their own meals and their caregiver refuses them their food. Bedsores are common from staying in their bed for long periods of time without being able to move or change positions. Some cases even result in death.
Health care providers can be a huge help with preventing elder abuse if they are all required to attend a training in the subject. Studies show that physicians only report about 2% of elder abuse cases, not only because they don’t know the signs. There tends to be great concern of ruining the only relationship the elder person has. Some elderly refuse to stand up for themselves because their abuser has them scared of being left without the only one they think is there for them, therefore without them they have no one and they know they are completely dependent on another being’s help.
When I was first introduced to elder abuse I was shocked. Sexual abuse and domestic abuse are more widely known so this form of abuse was new to me. My grandmother is currently in a nursing home and we visit her often. To hear that people can and actually do these things is unfathomable to me. These people depend entirely on someone else which takes away the dignity that they do have left, abusing that leaves them completely helpless and humiliated.
I believe that elder abuse needs to become more publicized the way that other abuse is being explained. People worldwide are aware of domestic abuse and sexual abuse because there are many organizations projecting its issues out to their communities. Involvement in the community could be a huge help to this cause. Financial Abuse Specialist Teams have been created throughout the United States to inform the authorities about elders in their communities and the situations they are in. With the public being knowledgeable about these situations and becoming aware that this is a problem all around them, everyone can begin to contribute in small ways to help all of our elders avoid these terrible situations that many are going through unknown and alone.
On June 15, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the winner and runner up will be honored at a press conference at the State House. If you want to learn more about how you can help prevent elder abuse or you need help stopping abuse visit www.elderabuseprevention.info.
Jaye L. Martin is executive director at Legal Services for the Elderly in Augusta.