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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