Seniors
At first, I was so grateful when my daughter offered to take me in. I couldn’t get around like I used to once I got into the wheelchair, and keeping up with the bills and the house had gotten to be too much.
But sometimes she’d leave me in a closed, dark room for hours when ran errands, and I was only allowed at the dinner table if I kept quiet. When she started managing my finances for me, she told me over and over that I didn’t have enough money in my accounts, although I always had enough before. She forgot to give me my medication for two days in a row. Sometimes, I had no way to go to the bathroom and soiled myself. And I used to be a very clean person, but she only helped me wash once a week and was rough about it.
I love my daughter, but I was ashamed at how helpless and unwanted she made me feel. And I had nowhere to go.
I saw a phone number for The James House in the newspaper and called them. I didn’t think what she was doing to me was “elder abuse” at the time—this is my daughter we’re talking about—but I knew I need help. The people at The James House helped me realize that I have the right to be treated respectfully. They helped me find people so I wouldn’t be as dependent on my daughter. They went to the hospital with me when I needed it. I go to support groups there and talk with other folks in my situation. But more importantly, they provided me with referrals to organizations who specialize in assisting seniors like me take control of my life.
- According to the best available estimates, between 1 and 2 million Americans age 65 or older have been injured, exploited, or otherwise mistreated by someone on whom they depended for protection.
- Estimates of the frequency of elder abuse range from 2% to 10% based on various sampling, survey methods, and case definitions.
- Data on elder abuse in domestic settings suggest that 1 in 14 incidents, excluding incidents of self-neglect, come to the attention of authorities.
- Current estimates put the overall reporting of financial exploitation at only 1 in 25 cases, suggesting that there may be at least 5 million financial abuse victims each year.
- It is estimated that for every one case of elder abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self neglect reported to authorities, about five more go unreported.
- In 1996, nearly 450,000 adults aged 60 and over were abused and/or neglected in domestic settings. Factoring in self neglect, the total number of incidents was approximately 551,000.
- A University of Iowa study based on 1999 data found 190,005 domestic elder abuse reports from 17 states; 242,430 domestic elder abuse investigations from 47 states; and 102,879 substantiations from 35 states. Significantly higher investigation rates were found for states that require mandatory reporting and tracking of reports.
- In 2000, states were asked to indicate the number of elder/adult reports received in the most recent year for which data were available. Based on figures from 54 states, the total number of reports was 472,813.
- In 2003, state Long Term Care Ombudsman programs nationally investigated 20,673 complaints of abuse gross neglect, and exploitation on behalf of nursing home and board and care residents. Among seven types of abuse categories, physical abuse was the most common type reported.
Download this informative report:
Intimate Partner Homicide: An Analysis of Homicide in Virginia Among Those
50 Years or Older, 1999 – 2007
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