Child Abuse Or Domestic Abuse - 1797 Words

INTRODUCTION When you think of abuse you automatically begin to think of child abuse or domestic abuse but rarely is the first thought in your mind elder abuse. Often overlooked, elder abuse is a pressing issue surrounding nursing care for older adults. Unfortunately, many cases of elder abuse are not identified and sometimes they are identified much too late. Geriatric abuse can come in many forms which include physical, emotional, psychological, sexual, and even financial abuse. Nurses need to be able to identify when an elder is being abused, utilize screening tools to catch elder abuse when it is happening, react and implement the correct interventions when it is suspected or confirmed that an elder is being abused, and know how to†¦show more content†¦IDENTIFICATION OF THE TOPIC We as nurses are at the frontline when providing patient care and when nurses get an elderly patient that they suspect is being abused they need to know what signs to look for and how to react. Elder abuse is defined as actions that are done intentionally to cause harm or produce a grave risk of harm (whether or not harm is intended) to a susceptible or vulnerable elder by a caregiver or other individual who stands in a trust relationship to the elder. The definition also includes failure by a caregiver to meet the elder’s basic needs or to shelter the elder from harm (NCEA, 2012, p.1). Unfortunately, since the age of our population is increasing so is the prevalence of elder abuse. Since this form of abuse is rarely screened for it can be difficult to detect. It is the nurse’s responsibility to implement tools that could help identify any underlying problems that are not immediately noticeable. Many times the nurse could be the last hope a patient could have. The patient might be too afraid to admit to maltreatment for fear of retaliation from the abuser. This is why nurses should assess for signs that the patient is in trouble. If the nurse can successfully recognize when an elder is being abused they can make a significant impact on the life of their patient. Sometimes a healthcare professional may have preconceived ideas about elderly clients and disregard what they may say to them. This is a form of ageism that