Guidelines for Preventing Abuse of the Elderly

Some Guidelines for the Prevention of Abuse of the Elderly

Please copy and share these tips.

Elderly people are often the target of various types of abuse because they are perceived to be fragile and defenseless. Such abuse can take many forms ranging from physical acts of violent crime to emotional abuse to scams of various sorts. The following guidelines are presented to help curb these acts of abuse. As a care-giver, friend or family member you should learn to recognize the signs of elderly abuse including unusual injuries (such as bruises, welts, scratches, bite marks) and signs of neglect (such as long periods of isolation, poor hygiene, and malnutrition). Many locales have mandatory reporting laws and guidelines which you should keep up-to-date with. If you are abused or are aware of someone who is being abused, notify the authorities immediately.

To prevent isolation, maintain contact with other senior citizens in your community by telephone or home visits. Widen your circle of friends. Open lines of communication between yourself and your children. If possible, establish daily contact with friends and relatives.
Discuss with your children the requirement for care when you will be unable to care for yourself.
Familiarize yourself with all community support services, including visiting nurse care, home health aides, household help and senior day care centers.
Before hiring people to help around your home, check references. If aides are provided through a health care service, make sure they perform background checks on their employees.
If you experience abuse of any sort from a home care provider, immediately report it to the police and to the service that hired the worker.
Have ready access to an abuse hot line for the aged.
Join a Neighborhood Watch Program. Meet your neighbors and know who they are.
Put your finances in order now before it is too late. Prepare a will. Learn about powers of attorney, guardianships, and living wills.
Assign someone you have trusted for a long time to take over your financial matters in case of an emergency.
Do not sign anything unless it is reviewed by someone that you have good reason to trust.
Many scams target the elderly. Do not give out personal information to strangers. This includes social security number, credit card numbers and expiration date, date of birth, PIN numbers, and bank account information.
Take your time before deciding to buy something from a telephone or other type of solicitor. It is not rude to take your time. One tip-off that you are being scammed is when the solicitor says you need to make up your mind right away.
Check references and seek advice that is competent and trusted before making any significant expenditure. Avoid doing business with strangers whose reputation is unknown.
To prevent robbery have all regular payments and Social Security checks deposited directly to your bank account.
Avoid unsolicited conversations with strangers
Avoid congregations of adolescents and isolated, sparsely travelled streets.
Learn where to find help in your community, but seek help. Don't wait for help to find you. Your ostensible helper may actually be looking for your valuables.
Limit the amounts of money or valuables you carry to an absolute minimum.
Have keys ready for use when coming home.
Remember to lock your doors and windows.
If your adult child has a history of substance abuse, compulsive gambling, violence, mental illness or criminality, be certain of total recovery before extending an invitation to come live with you.

For more information about violence prevention, check out these links to other sites.
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