Elder Neglect

Elder Neglect

The very nature of aging means that as a person becomes older, it can become increasingly difficult for them to take care of themselves in a way that promotes overall physical and mental health. As such, they often rely on others, be it family, friends, or trained professionals, to care for them in their later years. While this can be a mutually beneficial and beautiful arrangement for some, in others it can become warped into elder neglect, wherein a caretaker disregards their obligation to properly provide for the senior in some way. This neglect can be damaging emotionally, mentally, and especially physically.

How to Recognize Elder Neglect

Like any kind of neglect, elder neglect can be tricky to identify because there are less noticeable outward signs of it. If you suspect elder neglect, be on the lookout for a senior who does not seem to have proper sustenance, adequate and appropriate clothing, or clean and healthy surroundings. Make certain they seem cleaned and well-cared for physically and that their meds are administered in the correct doses at the correct times. Emotionally, victims of elder neglect can also suffer from depression, anxiety, or a withdrawal from social contact. Also be aware that an elder could very well being going through self-neglect – that they are in fact, failing to provide for themselves. In these cases, it is best to find a way to make certain that the elder gets the care he or she needs.

Dangers of Elder Neglect

Elder neglect is a slippery slope of what at first may seem like little slip ups or omissions from basic care. However, once begun, it is often all too easy to slip from not bothering to bathe the elder in your care once a day to not bothering to do it once a week. The behavior can easily escalate and worsen over time, and may very possibly result in serious physical or emotional damage. In some cases, severe elder neglect has even led to death because a senior’s basic needs were not being met.

Dealing with Elder Neglect

Here on Mentaline.com we understand that elder neglect is hard to identify and even more difficult to deal with. Online therapy with one of the therapists listed on Mentaline.com can give you and your family the guidance you need to properly sort out what the senior in your care needs and how best to provide those services. If an elder is being neglected, trained professionals can help counsel you and how best to change the situation.

Definition of Elder Neglect

Elder neglect is an act or acts of omission toward a senior citizen resulting in a failure to provide the basic needs of life for that victim.

Symptoms of / Reasons for Elder Neglect

• A dramatic loss of weight or a general lack of nutrition
• Often being unclean or poorly bathed
• Medications being withheld or administered in improper dosages
• Depression, anxiety, and withdrawal from social situations

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