What is elder abuse?When a person becomes older, their body becomes weak. The elderly person is not able to stand up against attacks. Their mind becomes slower and they are not able to fight back against bullying. Other senses, such as hearing and vision are weakened, leaving access for mean people to take advantage of them.
Actions done to the older people that are intended to harm or ignore the elderly person is considered abuse. The majority of elder abuse is done by caregivers. "In the U.S. alone, more than half a million reports of abuse against elderly Americans reach authorities every year, and millions more cases go unreported" (Robinson et.al., 2014). Future FactsIt is projected that the amount of elderly abuse will increase along with the aging population over the next 30 years. The new generation of elders are from the baby boomers who were born after World War II. The number of elders will continue to increase until 2030, when an estimated 72 million people will be elders. The U.S. Census Bureau "projects that the population age 85 and over could grow from 5.7 million in 2008 to 19 million by 2050" (Census, 2013). Researchers have predicted that the age of death rates could decline for these elders, creating a larger population of elders needing continuous constant care. However, other research predicts more people living to the age of 90, predicting the population to quadruple by 2050 (Robinson, 2014).
Despite health concerns, economical problems, and solitude are problems related to the elderly population, two important factors need to be addressed. The factors are neglect and abuse, and crimes that are done to elders. The amount of elder abuse can be decreased by educating about the signs and symptoms to look for, what to do in the event of a situation, and how to advocate for other elders to be protected. . |
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