– the use of physical force that may result in bodily injury, physical pain, or impairment. Physical abuse may include but is not limited to such acts of violence as striking(with or without an object), hitting, beating, pushing, shoving, shaking, slapping, kicking, pinching, and burning. The unwarranted administration of drugs and physical restraints, force feeding, and physical punishment of any kind are also examples of physical abuse.
Sexual Abuse
– is nonconsensual sexual contact of any kind with an elderly person. Sexual contact with any person incapable of giving consent also is considered sexual abuse; it includes but is not limited to unwanted touching, all types of sexual assault or battery such as rape, sodomy, coerced nudity, and sexually explicit photographing.
Emotional or Psychological Abuse
– is the infliction of anguish, emotional pain, or distress. Emotional or psychological abuse includes but is not limited to verbal assaults, insults, threats, intimidation, humiliation, and harassment. In addition, treating an older person like an infant; isolating an elderly person from family, friends, or regular activities; giving an older person a ‘silent treatment’, and enforced social isolation also are examples of emotional or psychological abuse.
Neglect
- is the refusal or failure to fulfill any part of a person’s obligations or duties to an elder. Neglect may also include a refusal or failure by a person who has fiduciary responsibilities to provide care for an elder (e.g., failure to pay for necessary home care service, or the failure on the part of an in-home service provider to provide necessary care). Neglect typically means the refusal or failure to provide and elderly person with such life necessities as food, water, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene, medicine, comfort, personal safety, and other essentials included as a responsibility or an agreement.
Abandonment
- is the desertion of an elderly person by an individual who has assumed responsibility for providing care or by a person with physical custody of an elder.
Financial or Material Exploitation
- is the illegal or improper use of an elder’s funds, property, or assets. Examples include but are not limited to cashing checks without authorization or permission; forging an older person’s signature; misusing or stealing an older person’s money or possessions; coercing or deceiving an older person into signing a document (e.g., contracts or a will); and the improper use of conservator ship, guardianship, or power of attorney.
Self-Neglect
- is characterized as the behaviors of an elderly person that threaten his/her own health or safety. Self-neglect generally manifests itself in an older person’s refusal or failure to provide himself/herself with adequate food, water, clothing, shelter, safety, personal hygiene, and medication.
How to Report
There are abuse hotlines in most states. If you suspect that an older vulnerable adult is being abused, please make a report. Abuse Hotlines listed by State
