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Elder Abuse and the Possibilities of Claim


https://www.medlegal360.com/elder-abuse-and-the-possibilities-of-claim/

Elderly people are vulnerable to attack and abuse in all settings, including their own homes and nursing homes. Even the family members, relatives, caretakers, or the nursing home staff are among the people who abuse them physically or mentally. Most countries, including the United States, subject their senior citizens to such atrocities.

What exactly do you mean by "elder abuse"?

Elder abuse occurs when older people are intentionally or negligently harmed. Abuse is not only physical, but also emotional, financial, and innumerable other ways. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, more older women are abused than older men.

Different types of elder abuse

·         Because they are frail, physical abuse such as hitting, pinching, shaking, beating, slapping, or pushing will harm them. When older people fall, they may sustain facture bruises.

·         Psychological abuse includes serious offenses such as verbal abuse, threatening, insulting, or humiliating others.

·         Sexual abuse is defined as coercive sexual contact with a disabled elderly person. Molesting people who have Alzheimer's or dementia is also a serious crime.

·         It is punishable if a family member or caretaker fails to provide proper food and medication to the elderly on time. Neglect is a silent killer in the case of lonely old citizens.

·         Financial exploitation is when a senior citizen's money and property are taken from them forcibly or without their consent through forgery.

How can you identify if they are abused?

When the elderly people are subjected to psychological abuse, they exhibit emotional distress, social withdrawal, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, fear, and unusual behavior. Physical abuse is visible in fractures, sprains, injuries, broken eye glasses, and lacerations. Sexual abuse will manifest itself as genital bleeding, bite marks, burn marks, or genital infections. When the elderly people are neglected, they develop bedsores, malnutrition, dehydration, and become unsanitary. Loss of property, large-scale transactions and a hasty change of will can all be signs of financial abuse.

How the law safeguards the elderly

Depending on the extent of the injuries and the severity of the abuse, elder abuse cases fall under either civil or criminal law. The victim or close relatives of the abused can file a claim. In Georgia, the abuser faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of more than $50,000. Adult Protective Services or the police can be contacted to report the abuse. The claim must be filed within the applicable statutes of limitation.

Medical bills, future care, pain and suffering, and out-of-pocket expenses can all be reimbursed to the victim. Compensation may vary depending on the severity of the damage. The abuser may face imprisonment, fines, the loss of professional licenses, and the loss of employment.

Conclusion

The Elder Justice Act and Adult Protective Services, which include physicians, nurses, paramedics, and law enforcement officers, can investigate and report abuse to the appropriate authorities.

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