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The 7 Types of Elder Abuse and Local Resources for Victims in Upstate NY

According to the National Center for Elder Abuse about 1 out of every 10 Americans over the age of 60 years old has fallen victim to some form of elder abuse. Other research has even estimated that five million elders are abused every year. This next number hits even a little closer to home– it is estimated that 300,000 elders are victimized every year in the state of New York alone. 

When you think of elder abuse, the first thing that comes to mind might be physical abuse or elderly neglect. However, the abuse of older people actually includes several different types of abuse, which we will discover next. Usually, the offender is likely to be someone that the older person is fairly close to, including; family members, spouses, and facility staff members.  

Raising your awareness of elder abuse is important to catching it early on in order to decrease the instances of abuse. To raise your awareness, we are going to go over the 7 different types of elder abuse, how to identify it, and properly report it.  By having this knowledge, you are another set of eyes and ears within your community, you could assist a victim of elder abuse get the help that they need. 

The 7 Types of Elder Abuse

As we already discussed, there are several ways that elder abuse can present itself. Keep in mind that when an older person is abused, they might be suffering from just one of the following types of elder abuse, or they could be suffering from several forms at once. 

Below you can find descriptions of the different types of elder abuse.

Physical Abuse: The infliction of physical injury or pain upon an older adult. 

Sexual Abuse: When an older adult is inappropriately touched, fondled, physically forced or threatened into intercourse or any other sexual act. This type of activity is also considered abuse if the older adult is unable to understand or willingly consent to the act. 

Emotional Abuse: This can include verbal assault, threats of abuse, harassment, and intimidation. 

Confinement: This means to restrain or isolate an older adult, other than for medical reasons. 

Passive Neglect: The failure of one’s caretaker to provide an older adult with the necessities of life. Such as– food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. 

Willful Deprivation: This means to expose an older adult to the risk of mental, emotional, or physical harm by denying them their medical care, shelter, food, therapeutic and assistive devices, or any other physical assistance that they require– unless the older adult is competent and has expressed the desire to go without a specific type of care. 

Financial Exploitation: The withholding or misuse of an older adult’s financial resources by anyone other than the older adult themself. 

Now that you are aware of the different types of abuse that an older adult might undergo, it is important that you know the warning signs and how to identify abuse in the first place. 

How to Identify Elder Abuse

Identifying elder abuse, or the abuse of older people, is important because once you suspect it or recognize that one of your loved ones is being abused you can put an end to it and get help for the victim of the abuse. It is important to know the warning signs because not all older adults are going to be able to communicate an incident of abuse for themselves. 

Some warning signs of elder abuse are:

• Bruising, abrasions, injuries, or marks that cannot be explained. 
• Sudden changes in mood, seeming depressed or withdrawn  from activities that they used to enjoy, or less alert than usual. 
• Sudden changes in their finances. 
• Unattended medical needs leading to weight loss, bedsores, and poor hygiene. 
• Unusual encounters between patient and caregiver, such as belittling, threats, or arguments. 

If you notice any of these warning signs, it is important to report it to the authorities. If the situation requires emergency assistance, call 911 right away. Otherwise, you can contact your local police department’s non-emergency line or your local Adult Protective Services. 

Reporting an Instance of Abuse to Adult Protective Services

New York State Adult Protective Services (APS) is a mandated service that intakes, investigates, and assesses any referrals of possible abuse of vulnerable adults that live within the community. APS serves anyone over the age of 18 that suffers from physical or mental impairments that leave them unable to protect themself from any type of abuse. 

An APS worker is responsible for developing plans to help an adult abuse victim. They can provide services such as safety monitoring, referrals to get proper healthcare, assistance with obtaining any benefits owed to the individual, assistance with managing their money, setting up transportation to appointments, crisis interventions, helping to find safe living arrangements and many more forms of legal assistance and intervention. 

If you or someone you know is being abused, or you suspect elder abuse, reach out to your local Adult Protective Services immediately to file an elder abuse report. For any instances occurring in the state of New York, you can contact them by phone at 1-844-697-3505 between the hours of 8:30am and 8pm. 

After you make that call, it is important to remember that there are additional resources for you here in Central New York as well. Compassionate Care at CNY should always be your next call if you need assistance caring for yourself or another older adult in your life. 

What Can Compassionate Care Management of CNY Do to Help a Victim of Elder Abuse

I am here to help you and your loved ones navigate the trauma of elder neglect and abuse in any way possible. If you or someone you know is recovering from elder abuse, please reach out to me to see how I can help you recover and continue living to your fullest potential. It is my priority, here at Compassionate Care Management of CNY, to raise awareness of elder abuse and decrease the occurrences here in our community. Aging should be a rewarding and enjoyable experience, it is my passion in life to be sure that you are able to enjoy your life to the fullest at any age.

In order to reach me, you can complete the short form on my contact page, and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Or you can reach me by phone at 315-806-6737.