ABOUT ELDER ABUSE

According to the National Center on Elder Abuse organization (NCEA) 90% of abusers are family members such as adult children, spouse or significant other (NCEA, n.d.). Most likely abusers are those who drink alcohol or use drugs, have emotional problems, or those who feel burdened by the responsibility of caregiving (NCEA, n.d.). Elderly individuals who are exposed to abuse or neglect are 300% more likely to die earlier than those who have not (NCEA, n.d.). The worst aspect of abuse upon the elderly is that the abused person feels that they need this person and will most likely not tell anyone else if it is a loved one abusing them. They may fear they will have to leave their home and enter into a facility. They will blame themselves for behavior they did in their younger years, to cover guilt. Some may feel they deserve the abuse. For every acknowleged case of elder abuse, five go unreported (NCEA, n.d.). Not many studies have been performed to understand the crisis, but with the boomers entering into older adult years making up 20% of the population in total by 2050, new research must be performed in order to combat elder abuse (NCEA, n.d.).