Old and Alone: U.S vs Elder Abuse
The term elder abuse encompasses intentional acts such as taking money from an elderly person and not caring for them or taking advantage of their assets when they are incapable of communicating for themselves. On the other hand, there is unintentional abuse, which occurs when family members and caregivers lack the time, training, or money to properly care for their loved ones, who wind up neglected as a result. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, elder abuse and financial exploitation are both crimes, but can be difficult to prove in court. The National Adult Protective Services Association's Kathleen Quinn recently told the Senate Special Committee on Aging elder abuse is common, mostly hidden, expensive, and lethal. The prevalence of elder abuse is expected to grow without strong regulations. Strong patient care policies and procedures are essential.
The body of 77-year-old Elaine Latshaw was found in her home covered in urine, feces, and blood in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, in 2015. Local news reports stated that her foot was so badly gangrene-infected that the bones protruded. A postmortem examination later found that she had aspiration pneumonia due to multiple pressure ulcers, gangrene, and malnutrition caused by hypertensive vascular disease. In connection with Latshaw's neglect, John Latshaw and his 2 girlfriend Dorothy Robinson have been charged with third-degree murder. In the end, her family says that she simply wanted to die. This is just one of many cases that happen all year around.
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) reports that elders are more likely to report financial exploitation than emotional, physical, and sexual abuse or neglect. Approximately 30 According to the NCEA, neglect is the leading cause of elder abuse. The Department of Justice (DOJ) oversees and addresses the criminal justice system, in addition to collaborating with federal, state, and local partners to promote elder justice and to protect elders. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), there are no federal statutes specifically criminalizing abuse of elder adults-when elder abuse meets the definition of specific crimes, it will be prosecuted at the federal level. It is possible to prosecute mass-marketing fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, and other similar crimes in the U.S. regardless of whether the victim is an adult or not. Also, investigations regarding crimes involving elder financial exploitation are being conducted by other federal agencies, including violations of federal consumer finance laws, cases of consumer fraud and deception on an international and interstate basis, securities fraud on an internal and international level, and mail fraud. Civil enforcement actions might be taken by these agencies, while criminal cases might be referred to the department of justice. A special revenue stream has been created to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation under the Elder Justice Act (EJA) enacted as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) enacted on March 23, 2010.
Private caregivers and nursing homes do not always provide adequate care for their patients. Caretakers are responsible for providing proper care no matter what the scenario may be.ng else. They have an obligation to make patients feel comfortable and confident that they will get help.helped. If you ignore them, you are neglecting them. Family members often sign a 3 contract before assigning a caregiver or placing an elder in a nursing home. It describes the type of care the patient will receive. When you sign this contract, you authorise this home to care for your loved one. Your loved one is guaranteed to receive the highest standard of care and treatment. In general, nursing home staff are encouraged not to abandon their patients. Employees tend to give up too much time, so neglect and abuse are common outcomes.
Unless strict regulations are implemented, elder abuse will continue to rise. Establishing strong policies and procedures on patient care is essential. The quality of services depends on the recruitment of regular volunteers and social workers. On a regular basis, employees should undergo training on elder abuse and neglect. In addition, there are ways to prevent elder abuse
Works Cited
NCEA National Center of Elder Abuse
EAGLE Elder Abuse Guide for Law Enforcement USC University of Southern California https://eagle.usc.edu/state-specific-laws/
Elder Law Office of George F.Dickerman 2007-2020
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