Abuse of Older Adults
tntqpretty2m
draft.docxRunning head: Abuse of Older Adults
Elder abuse is a continuous or a single act that occurs in a relationship where trust is expected but causes distress to later life of a person. Elder mistreatment entails psychological, physical, sexual, exploitation, abandonment and emotional abuse. The effects of abuse of older adults include nutrition and hydration problems, persistent physical pain and soreness, wounds and injuries. I will evaluate the issues associated with abuse of older adults and describe the changes in social policy that impacted how human service professional support this population in this paper. Furthermore, I will consider the needs of older adults and describe the types of service plans that can be created for victims of elder adult's abuse. A proposal of human service programs for elderly adults that experience elder abuse will be made as well as a description of how human service agencies can prevent future abuse of older adult’s thus promoting self-empowerment.
Issues associated with elder abuse are health status, cognitive ability, and social network. These problems are the major risk factors for abuse of older adults. Cognitive capacity is the ability of an individual to process information and solves problems. Older adults experience decreased information processing and problems solving skills as a result of declining cognitive flexibility, reduced memory capacity, and reasoning. These factors contribute to poor judgment and decision making abilities among older adults (Kim & Geistfeld, n.d.). Cognitive ability is associated with abuse of older persons because Caregivers capitalize on the diminished cognitive ability of older adults to abuse them.
Health status is the general wellbeing of a person that enables them to perform their day to day activities. Older adults are vulnerable decision makers due to their limited physical mobility and difficulties comprehending issues. Physical changes due to the health status of older adults abstract their ability to carry out their daily activities independently (Kim & Geistfeld, n.d.). Poor health causes physical problems like sight and hearing loss to the elderly thus causing them to depend on others. Elderly abuse is associated with health status because it makes older adults depend on others. Overreliance on others leads to elder abuse when the caregivers are not dedicated to the service.
A social network is the pool of people around an individual and who they can turn to for assistance. Older adults are more vulnerable than young people due to their social integration. Since many people view older people as burdens and liabilities, older people are commonly socially isolated. Social isolation among the older adults leads to poor health, loss of friends and spouses. Isolation and neglect of older adults are themselves abuse of older adults (Kim & Geistfeld, n.d.). A social network is associated with abuse of older adults because lack of social networks makes the elderly to rely on other people who may maltreat them.
Older adults require special treatment due to their social and health status. Some of the elderly needs include healthcare needs, special nutrient needs, and social needs. The service plan that should be created for victims of elder abuse is the creation of elder abuse interventions. These interventions would include adult protective services, advocacy services, and training for caregivers. Adult protective services would involve the provision of material aid, mental health services, and nutrition and socialization services. Due to the abuse that emanates from lack of understanding of needs and care of elderly by caregivers, training caregivers will reduce the risk of older people maltreatment due to unmet expectations (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education & Committee on the Assessment of Family Violence Interventions, 1998). Advocacy services essential in elder abuse prevention include financial, legal, healthcare and referral to community service advice. More so, human service professional must portray ethical guidelines respect of dignity and welfare of older people, advocating for social justice, integrity, objectivity, and honesty.
A human service program that is beneficial to older adults that experience abuse is the establishment of a community-based program that improves the well-being of senior citizens. This community-based program would provide health and hygiene services, mental health services, and healthcare services brought near the elderly population. This plan would also ensure close monitoring of the older people and protect them from their abusers. Financial support will also be provided to the elders as well as competent human service workers to take care of the elderly people (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education & Committee on the Assessment of Family Violence Interventions, 1998).
Human service agencies can prevent future abuse of older population and support self-empowerment by creating awareness of elder abuse, increasing brain health by enhancing cognitive capacity, care giving, and allocation of adequate resources. Creating elder abuse public awareness would result in well-coordinated response services, policy and education on abuse of older people. Providing brain health interventions improves mental health which is an essential factor for both victims of elder abuse and the perpetrators (Hogan, 2014). Human service agencies should provide better support and training for caregivers who play a critical role in preventing elder abuse and supporting self-empowerment. The organizations can also increase resource allocation and invest adequately in education, services, research and expansion of knowledge that reduces elder abuse. These interventions can help human service workers prevent future abuse of elders.
References:
Hogan, L. (2014). 5 Steps to Combat and Prevent Elder Abuse - Next Avenue. Next Avenue. Retrieved 10 February 2018, from https://www.nextavenue.org/5-steps-combat-and-prevent-elder-abuse/
Kim, E., & Geistfeld, L. What makes older adults vulnerable to exploitation or abuse?. Projects.ncsu.edu. Retrieved 10 February 2018, from https://projects.ncsu.edu/ffci/publications/2008/v13-n1-2008-spring/Kim-Geistfeld.php
National Research Council (US) Panel on a Research Agenda and New Data for an Aging World. (2001). The Health of Aging Populations. Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 10 February 2018, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK98373/
National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, & Committee on the Assessment of Family Violence Interventions. (1998). Violence in Families: Assessing Prevention and Treatment Programs. National Academies Press.
Running head: Abuse of Older Adults
Elder abuse is a continuous or a single act that occurs in a relationship where trust is
expected but causes distress to later life of a person. Elder mistreatment entails psychological,
physical, sexual, exploitation, abandonment and emotional abuse. The
effects of abuse of older
adults include nutrition and hydration problems, persistent physical pain and soreness, wounds and
injuries. I will evaluate the issues associated with abuse of older adults and describe the changes
in social policy that impacted
how human service professional support this population in this paper.
Furthermore, I will consider the needs of older adults and describe the types of service plans that
can be created for victims of elder adult's abuse. A proposal of human service program
s for elderly
adults that experience elder abuse will be made as well as a description of how human service
agencies can prevent future abuse of older adult’s thus promoting self
-
empowerment.
Issues associated with elder abuse are health status, cognitive
ability, and social network.
These problems are the major risk factors for abuse of older adults. Cognitive capacity is the ability
of an individual to process information and solves problems.
Older adults experience decreased
information processing and p
roblems solving skills as a result of declining cognitive flexibility,
reduced memory capacity, and reasoning
. These factors contribute to poor judgment and decision
making abilities among older adults (Kim & Geistfeld, n.d.). Cognitive ability is associat
ed with
abuse of older persons because Caregivers capitalize on the diminished cognitive ability of older
adults to abuse them.
Health status is the general wellbeing of a person that enables them to perform their day to
day activities. Older adults are vu
lnerable decision makers due to their limited physical mobility
and difficulties comprehending issues. Physical changes due to the health status of older adults
abstract their ability to carry out their daily activities independently (Kim & Geistfeld, n.d.
). Poor
health causes physical problems like sight and hearing loss to the elderly thus causing them to
Running head: Abuse of Older Adults
Elder abuse is a continuous or a single act that occurs in a relationship where trust is
expected but causes distress to later life of a person. Elder mistreatment entails psychological,
physical, sexual, exploitation, abandonment and emotional abuse. The effects of abuse of older
adults include nutrition and hydration problems, persistent physical pain and soreness, wounds and
injuries. I will evaluate the issues associated with abuse of older adults and describe the changes
in social policy that impacted how human service professional support this population in this paper.
Furthermore, I will consider the needs of older adults and describe the types of service plans that
can be created for victims of elder adult's abuse. A proposal of human service programs for elderly
adults that experience elder abuse will be made as well as a description of how human service
agencies can prevent future abuse of older adult’s thus promoting self-empowerment.
Issues associated with elder abuse are health status, cognitive ability, and social network.
These problems are the major risk factors for abuse of older adults. Cognitive capacity is the ability
of an individual to process information and solves problems. Older adults experience decreased
information processing and problems solving skills as a result of declining cognitive flexibility,
reduced memory capacity, and reasoning. These factors contribute to poor judgment and decision
making abilities among older adults (Kim & Geistfeld, n.d.). Cognitive ability is associated with
abuse of older persons because Caregivers capitalize on the diminished cognitive ability of older
adults to abuse them.
Health status is the general wellbeing of a person that enables them to perform their day to
day activities. Older adults are vulnerable decision makers due to their limited physical mobility
and difficulties comprehending issues. Physical changes due to the health status of older adults
abstract their ability to carry out their daily activities independently (Kim & Geistfeld, n.d.). Poor
health causes physical problems like sight and hearing loss to the elderly thus causing them to
