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English: Abuse is a significant factor in the lives of many older adults.
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Abuse is a significant factor in the lives of many older adults. Abuse is when someone who is supposed to care about you threatens your
health, your well-being or your financial situation. Some examples of
abuse are:
- rough treatment like hitting, slapping, or misusing physical restraints
- any sexual conduct towards you without your consent
- humiliation, intimidation, insults or threats
- isolating you from family members, neighbours and friends
- treating you like a child
- withholding your medication, over-medicating you, misusing chemical restraints
- forcing you to sell personal belongings or property
- stealing your money, pension cheques or possessions
- denying you information, visitors, privacy, religious worship, health care
- interfering with your mail
- withholding food or other basic necessities and care
Who gets abused?
Abuse can happen to any older adult. Victims usually know the people who
hurt them. Some older people are abused by their husband or wife, or by
children or even grandchildren. The abuser is often a caregiver—someone
the victim depends on for food, shelter, personal care or companionship.
Victims may live in their own homes or with relatives, in nursing homes,
or in chronic care hospitals. Most older victims are mentally competent
and do not need constant care, but those who have mental or physical
disabilities are especially vulnerable.
What if you are being abused?
You don't deserve to be treated that way. And you can't change the
abuser. Only the abuser can. But you can ask for help. There are people
who care and are ready to listen. Talk to someone you trust—a friend,
family member, doctor, nurse, social worker, the police. Call one of the
numbers on this web site. There is help for you.
What if someone you know is being abused?
They need the abuse to stop. They need information and support to help
them become independent of the abuser. Talk to them about it and let them
know you care and are ready to listen. Suggest they get help from someone
they trust—a doctor, nurse, the police. Check out the services listed on this web site for them. Show them or
tell them about this web site.
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If you are abusing someone,
there's help for you, too.
Call one of the services listed on this web site.
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