Elder Abuse In Institutions

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Prevention of Elder Abuse in Institutions
Senior Citizens in the United States are amongst the most vulnerable populations. Their lack of independence places them at higher risk for abusive treatment towards their persona, this due to their inability to defend themselves. It has been reported through The National Institute of Aging that a total of “617 million people are aged 65 and over” this population is known as, senior citizens. As the individual ages a number of them become dependent on others for aid in completing what to many is considered simple daily activities this inability to function by themselves incites violence because of the constant attention they need. Senior citizens undergo many different types of abuse such as sexual,
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The overwhelming feeling of responsibility leads the children or spouse to be abusive, in fact “spouses were found to be the most likely abusers” (Pillemer & Finkelhor, 1988). As a defense they associate abusiveness with being under qualified in elder care, therefore as a safer alternative individuals seek for places that will have qualified care takers. Due to this, Nursing Homes are the most sought after institutions for help in caring for older individuals. These institutions are said to prioritize safety, health and security along with providing trained staff to care after senior citizens. While the pamphlets from these facilities demonstrate the ideal institution, many family members don’t expect for their elders to be in harm while in the care of professionals, yet “1 out of every 10 people, ages 60 and older” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suffer abuse in institutions by the …show more content…
Leading to “conflict, aggression, and burn-out” (Goodridge & Johnston & Thomson, 2008), which are said to be most reported stressors involved in caregivers who abuse their patients. It is understandable that caregivers at times may feel overwhelmed by life situations and work, but by no means should it be appropriate for them to release the frustration on their patients. Another reason employees associate with their abusive behavior are patients who reject the help caregivers must provide; this causes frustration for them because the caregiver is simply trying to do the job and move on to the next patient. Constant care, although is their job, creates an emotional build up that at some point will erupt. The majority of the time caregivers do not just have one patient, they look after rather they have several, and these individuals all require different forms of attention, thus running back and forth from patient to patient can exhaust them. Nevertheless, these reasons should not accept by the institution and the