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What can be done to eliminate incidences of abuse? Society should shoulder the responsibility to protect the elderly, but it begins with the family of the senior. Many of the children and other relatives of the elderly feel that once they have a care giver to care for the elderly their work is done. Far from it, they need to remain vigilant in directing and overseeing that good care is in fact what is provided. When visiting an elder loved one, you should be alert to the warning signs of abuse: Emotional or Psychological Abuse: Are there insults or threats directed at the elder? Are they living in social isolation? The elder may be extremely upset, withdrawn, unresponsive, or exhibiting other unusual behavior. He or she may have a vacant look in their eyes or exhibit fear; they may not always express those verbally, so look for signs in their face or behavior. Physical and Sexual Abuse: Look for suspicious bruises or other injuries. Look for signs of restraints, such as a rope burns. See if he or she shows sudden changes of behavior, such as unexplained anger, fear, withdrawal, or has become very quiet. Note if a worker or caregiver refuses to let you visit the elder, making all kind of excuses. Neglect: Look for signs of malnutrition, if there is noticeable weight loss, dehydration, bed sores, or if personal hygiene is noticeable neglected. Note if the elder is sitting in soiled clothing, unshaven, unkempt, without dentures, or with long or dirty nails, are they walking around at midday still wearing pajamas? Listen to complaints from the senior as to whether or not their aide is listening to them or following their wishes and follow up on them. Financial Abuse: Keep an eye out for unexplained bank withdrawals, unauthorized use of bank and credit cards, reports of stolen or missing checkbooks and bank cards, or if your parent or elder writes checks as a loan or gift to the aide. Be on the lookout for valuables suddenly disappearing. Monitor any sudden changes in the will or banking documents, and be alert if assets are suddenly transferred to a family member or to someone outside the family. If you discover any of the above warning signals, you should correct them and/or notify the police. The above warning signs should be looked for not only in the home of the elderly, but also if they reside in a nursing home, assisted living facility or a residential care facility. If the elder does not have a family member to protect him or her, the responsibility falls on the society, all of us – doctors, social workers, friends, neighbors and local clergy. For more info: www.goldenyearsgolden.com About the Author: Eva Mor was born in Poland to Holocaust survivors. Both her parents lost most of their immediate family to the Nazis. She was born after the war, and her early childhood was in Poland, after which she immigrated to Israel with her family. Dr. Mor adjusted quickly to her life in Israel and loved it there. The only thing she missed terribly was not having grandparents. Both sets of her grandparents were killed by the Nazis. This fact has colored her professional life. After the obligatory military service, in which she served in the Air Force, she came to the United States where she completed all her higher education. She has since returned to Israel for two years to do epidemiological research for the World Health Organization of the United Nations. She is an epidemiologist and a health care specialist. She also holds a Masters degree in Gerontology and Health Administration. For the last 23 years Dr. Mor has dedicated her career to bettering the lives of the elderly. She has done so through work in nursing homes, chronic disease institutions, and acute care hospitals, as well as in home care services. She has been part of planning committees for the improvement of health services for seniors, and has done research to find out what services are available for this specific population, and what should be developed in the future. With that in mind Dr. Mor set out to write the book MAKING the GOLDEN YEARS GOLDEN. The book brings to you, with much love and care, the information you need for yourself and those dear to you, in order to make the golden years truly golden. Subscribe to our FREE Ezine and receive current Health News, be eligible for discounted products/services and coupons related to your Health. We publish 24/7. HealthNewsDigest.com For advertising or promotion, email: tvmike13@healthnewsdigest.com Top of Page 
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