Elder Abuse Prevention Durham: What Can Seniors Do to Protect Themselves Against Elder Abuse?

By:  Todd Palmer

Elder Abuse Prevention Durham - Elder abuse is something that may occur in a variety of ways, including physical, emotional, sexual, and financial. Additionally, healthcare professionals can take advantage of medical needs by committing fraud regarding their Medicaid and other billings associated with a senior's care. As such, there are many ways in which people can mistreat elderly individuals; however, it is possible for seniors to protect themselves against such abuse.

Here are a few tips for seniors to assist them in preventing abuse from taking place, provided by the home care professionals of Durham, North Carolina:[1]

1. Seniors who have experienced mistreatment of any shape or form should report the incident. Whether they were neglected in a nursing home or a family caregiver took financial advantage of them, it is crucial that seniors speak up. In such circumstances, elderly individuals should turn to a trusted family member or friend, an elder abuse helpline, or the police.
2. By maintaining control over their financial and legal affairs, seniors can better safeguard their bank accounts, wills, and other assets against financial abuse. If a senior is unable to handle these concerns on their own, trusting them to a money management or legal professional is a great idea. If this is not possible, a trusted family member can also protect their loved ones' financial wellbeing.
3. Isolated elderly individuals are often targeted because abusers believe that their misconduct will be less likely to be noticed. As such, it is important for seniors to stay in touch with loved ones, including friends and family members. By having people around, seniors can create a boundary between themselves and individuals who would take advantage of them.

In addition to these tips, elderly individuals can also work to create positive relationships with care providers. Negative relationships perpetuated by both seniors and caregivers may foster resentment and frustration that can lead to abuse.

Of course, it is not possible to prevent elder abuse from taking place in all cases. Should your senior fall victim to mistreatment, it is crucial that they do not think it is their own fault for not preventing it. If you suspect that your elderly loved one is being abused, it is imperative that you take action right away.

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[1] http://www.helpguide.org/mental/elder_abuse_physical_emotional_sexual_neglect.htm