How To Prevent Senior Abuse

More seniors opt to age at home rather than in a nursing home or assisted living facility than ever before. Instead, they choose to receive care or support with daily activities in the privacy of their own homes. Even if they are mentally and physically fit, seniors remain vulnerable to elder abuse. Because elder abuse can take many various forms, it might be challenging to detect in some cases.

What Is Senior Abuse and How Can It Be Prevented?

Elder abuse can take numerous forms, but the most common ones entail scaring, humiliating, ridiculing, or intimidating a senior. For example, if a caretaker ignores a senior or fails to meet their requirements, elder abuse is considered. In addition, financial exploitation may be a form of abuse in specific situations. Thus, understanding elder abuse can assist you in recognizing and intervening in potentially dangerous circumstances.

Elder abuse isn’t the only concern that elders may encounter as they get older. Living alone at home in your elderly years can come with its own set of difficulties. Allow at-home caregivers to assist your senior loved one in maintaining a greater quality of life while coping with illness and doing daily duties.

Be Cautious Of The Red Flags

Being informed is one of the most important methods to prevent senior abuse. Physical signs of elder abuse include bruises, scars, scrapes, dislocations, or fractured bones, as well as incorrect drug administration. Weight loss, dehydration, insects, and dirty surroundings are all symptoms of your mistreated loved ones. Sudden changes in wills, duplicate billings, unpaid bills, missing cash or commodities, or unexplained withdrawals from accounts are all signs that a senior is being financially exploited.

Spend Time Together

You must spend time with your loved one to detect indicators of possible abuse. Instead of making hasty visits, take the time to sit down and talk with your loved one. Discuss your loved one’s health and bills throughout your talks, and you can also inquire about friends and other caregivers. Setting aside a few hours to keep the company of your loved ones while managing their daily routine may also be beneficial. Make sure your visits involve time between the two of you since your loved one may be too afraid to speak out about the abuse if they are in the presence of others.

Encourage People To Get Their Health Checked Regularly.

Many people mistake signals of elder abuse for dementia or other health problems. Because it causes behaviour changes, injuries, and other concerns common among elders, elder abuse frequently resembles these signs. It’s critical to ensure that your loved one sees a doctor if they have a health problem. Obtain healthcare power of attorney for your loved one if at all possible. The doctor will be able to communicate information with you through a power of attorney, allowing you to check that your loved one’s health difficulties aren’t the result of abuse.

Consider Hiring Senior Care Provider Agency

Caring for a senior relative can be a difficult task. If your caregiving responsibilities become too much for you, consider hiring a home health care agency that can assist you in providing the right caregiver for your senior. They perform a background check of a caregiver, assuring a clear criminal record and no issues would happen in future. They train the caregivers and usually assure safe interactions with the clients. Also, some of the care agencies stay on the top to make sure their caregivers are maintaining the standards by giving surprise visits and taking regular reports. They can also assist you in reducing your claim exposure. If your agency lacks the infrastructure or tools needed to adopt these procedures, you might be surprised to learn that your insurance provider may be able to assist.

So whether you need a break from your caring responsibilities or your elderly loved one requires home care, VCare247 in Toronto, Ontario, can help. Our professional caregivers are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to provide transportation to doctor’s appointments, monitor seniors’ medication compliance, and assist with various duties both inside and outside the home.