Elder Abuse Services

Important Definitions:

Elder Abuse – The physical, sexual, and/or emotional mistreatment, neglect or financial exploitation of the basic needs of an adult, sixty years of age or older by a spouse, family member, friend or acquaintance in a domestic setting, which results in harm to the elder adult. The elder adult may or may not be physically or mentally impaired. We include self-neglect in the definition because almost half the cases of elder abuse that are reported involve self-neglect.

Elder Sexual Abuse – as non–consensual sexual contact of any kind with an elderly person. Sexual contact with a person incapable of giving consent is also considered sexual abuse.

Neglect – The willful or non-willful failure by the caregiver to fulfill his/her care-taking obligations or duties. Including failure to provide a safe environment or  life necessities (hearing-aids, walkers, glasses, prescriptions, dentures).

Active Neglect – Withholding of items necessary for daily living such as food, exercise, medicine, personal hygiene, companionship and bathroom assistance.

Passive Neglect – Elderly person is left alone, isolated, forgotten or ignored.

Self Neglect – Is not always recognized, but is a form of elder abuse. Self neglect occurs when individuals neglect their personal needs to a degree that it imperils their health or existence.

Abandonment – Desertion by the person who has responsibility to provide care to an elderly person.

Abuse Risk Factors

Factors that have been shown to bear a significant correlation to elder abuse are: