Elder abuse does not just happen to people living in an elder care facility. The abuse of individuals over the age of 60 happens in a variety of environments. One in 10 Americans have suffered from elder abuse.
According to reports, prosecutions in elder abuse cases are rare. Strassburg, Gilmore and Wei has experience prosecuting those guilty of hurting the elderly, and can do the same for others.
However, many cases of abuse involving the elderly are never reported. For many folks over the age of 60, the embarrassment of being abused prevents them from telling someone.
With the population in the United States growing older by the day, the opportunities for elder abuse increase. When is someone being abused, and what are the signs of elder abuse?
Financial Abuse
According to experts on elder abuse, “some 5 million elders who live at home experiences abuse, neglect, or exploitation.” Elder abuse can be physical, emotional, or financial in nature.
The signs of financial abuse can be obvious, but it can also be difficult to convince the person that any sort of abuse has occurred. When financial abuse happens, it can be because the elderly individual trusts the person taking care of his or her financial matters. Some of the most common signs of financial abuse are:
- Missing belongings,
- A lack of money for basic needs,
- A property transfer, or
- Feelings of extreme anxiety, fear, or stress over money.
Recently, a case of elder financial abuse was solved in Newport Coast, California that saw millions of dollars taken from a 95-year-old dementia patient.
Emotional Abuse
Many elderly citizens in the US face emotional abuse through bullying and belittling. This can leave victims with low self-esteem or depression. Emotional abuse can lead to suicide and mental health problems in individuals. Emotional abuse can also enable caregivers to take advantage of an elderly person financially. There has been an emerging connection between grandchildren living with senior citizens, whose emotional and financial abuse ends up aiding the grandchildren’s drug addiction.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse of the elderly is generally the most visible for of elder abuse that one might see covered in the media. This is because this type of abuse often has visible side effects, and it can easily occur in elder care facilities. While physical abuse is sometimes more easily identifiable than other kinds of abuse, this does not mean getting the facts surrounding it is easy, as well.
The truth can be kept a secret due to pressure and bullying from a caregiver, and it can make it difficult to get to the root of the problem. In many cases, the elderly individual wo not be able to explain the reason for the accident that caused bruising, cuts, or other visible marks on their bodies.
Strassburg, Gilmore and Wei can Help
The law firm of Strassburg, Gilmore and Wei can provide you with legal guidance when it comes to catastrophic injury and lawsuits involving elder abuse. Located in Pasadena, California, Strassburg, Gilmore and Wei, Attorneys at Law, is available to provide insight on difficult matters. Visit our webpage to see how we can help you. If you have any questions, contact us and let our experienced attorneys in catastrophic injury and elder abuse go to work for you.