How Often Are Family Members Abusers?

When you hear the words “elder abuse,” you might automatically think of a negligent nursing home staff. Sadly, not all abuse is connected to an assisted living facility. A survey published by the National Council On Aging found that in 60 percent of reported incidents, family members are abusers. That breaks down to two-thirds of that group being adult children or spouses.

As upsetting as those facts are, it is essential to understand some of the underlying causes of this mistreatment.

Frequency of Abuse

As parents age, their adult children take on the role of caregiver. Unfortunately, taking on that responsibility sometimes generates incidents of abuse. A study conducted by the University of Southern California found that the most common type of abuse caused by a family member was related to the elder’s finances with 61.8% of the respondents reporting this type of abuse by a family member.

Some of the signs of financial abuse include names added to the parent’s bank account, debit card usage when the elder adult is homebound, or missing jewelry.

Here is the breakdown of the frequency of other forms of abuse:

• Emotional abuse – 35%
• Neglect – 20.1 %
• Physical abuse – 12%
• Sexual abuse – 0.3%

Additionally, 32% of the respondents reported more than one type of abuse. The abusers can be any member of the family including spouses, siblings, adult grandchildren, and stepchildren. The signs of these types of abuse include bruises, sores or pressure marks. Also, if you notice a drastic change in mood or eating habits, it could be a sign that something is going on that needs to be looked into.

Why Family Members Commit Elder Abuse

Too often the victims of abuse remain silent. The believe is that this is a “family matter.” They might also feel guilty thinking they are the reason for the abuse. It is hard to understand why someone in a family would mistreat someone in their care. However, there are a range of reasons as to why this occurs. None of those reasons should justify abusive behavior, but it will help to process the situation. Here are some of those causes:

Stress

Someone in your family could take on the role of primary caregiver of another family member that suddenly finds themselves in need of assistance or supervision. This could be because of an injury that impacts mobility or a degenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s, arthritis, or diabetes. That family member now takes on the burden of caring for an older parent out of a sense of obligation.

While that is noble, that doesn’t make the caregiver immune from stress. That stress can manifest in frustration and angry outbursts directed at the elderly loved one. In severe cases, the stress that builds up in a caregiver can trigger violent incidents such as striking the person.

Resentment

No one gets to choose their family. There could be preexisting problems within the family that cause estrangement long before a medical diagnosis requires help. A family member who holds a grudge against a parent might not be in the right space to care for that parent. That situation is compounded if that care requires full-time support that curtails the caregiver’s life.

Carelessness

Nursing home staff are meant to be trained and certified in geriatric care. A family member who suddenly finds themselves thrust into the role of caregiver might not have the skills for essential support. It can be a challenge to help someone in and out of the bed, bathtub, or toilet. That lack of training can sometimes lead to accidental neglect. Those incidents can manifest as bedsores, malnutrition, or gangrene.

Greed

A senior could have accumulated a lot of financial assets throughout their lifetime. It might be too tempting to avoid if a family finds themselves in charge of that wealth. There could also be instances where someone uses the personal identity of their loved ones to open new credit card accounts and run up debt.

How To Take Action

Aside from potential abuse from family members, there could be other instances of neglect caused by third-party caregivers, such as in-home health workers or the staff at a nursing home. No matter who commits the abuse, it is unacceptable and must be reported immediately.

Speaking to an experienced attorney can be an excellent way to understand the best course of action to support your loved one. It might be a challenge to report a family member you suspect of abusing another loved one. However, the real shame would be to recognize that abuse and remain silent.