Elderly Abuse: The Care of the Aging Societies in the Nursing Homes

[Name of the Author]

In partial fulfillment of requirements for EDF 690 Masters Project

Buffalo State College

ABSTRACT

Elder abuse is a recognized social problem in the United States. Elder mistreatment is a growing problem that has serious consequences for the health and well-being of elderly individuals. First labeled as "elderly abuse" and originally studied under the umbrella of family violence, maltreatment of the elderly has received more funding and research in recent years. Multiple aspects of elder abuse have been examined in the literature including types of abuse, statistical analysis, and international perspective. Although studies have examined the circumstances surrounding abuse as well as theories of causation and characteristics of the abuser and the abused, studies of the care of the aging societies in the nursing homes are less well documented.

Nursing homes are continuing to expand as a type of residential care for older adults, still residents at assisted living facilities may be at risk for abuse and neglect. The purpose of this project was to identify and design an outreach and education program for elderly in nursing homes to increase their knowledge about abuse and neglect, available support services, and strategies for handling abusive situations. The presentation sessions and how knowledge will be communicated are discussed in the paper. It will help medical personnel to treat the elderly population accordingly with the help of appropriate knowledge and skills.

Table of Contents

ABSTRACTii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION1

a. Introduction1

b. Statement of Problem and Purpose of Study3

c. Significance of Study5

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE7

a. Introduction7

b. Review and Critique of Literature7

Definitions of Elder Abuse7

Types of Abuse10

International Perspectives on Elder Abuse16

c. Summary17

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY19

a. Design of Study19

b. Sample Selection and Description of Participants19

c. Data Collection Methods20

d. Data Analysis21

CHAPTER IV: RESULTS, SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS22

CHAPTER V: DISCUSSION27

a. Implications of Possible Outcomes27

Nursing Education27

b. Limitations of Study29

c. Future Research29

APPENDICES35

Consent Form35

Interview Questionnaire38

Elderly Abuse: The Care of the Aging Societies in the Nursing Homes

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

a. Introduction

Elder abuse remains an international health problem. Congressional hearings in the 1970's began focusing more attention on elder issues that the Government had first addressed in the 1950's. Since that time, when elder abuse was labeled as "granny battering", more funding and research has been focused on maltreatment of the elderly, originally under the umbrella of family violence. Multiple aspects of elder abuse have been examined in the literature including measures for detection, assessment, and documentation. Although studies have examined the circumstances surrounding abuse, as well as theories of causation and characteristics of the abusers and the abused, studies of the care of aging people in the nursing homes are less well represented in the literature. Findings from this study will inform early prevention and intervention strategies in a vulnerable elderly population.

Patients 65 years and older represented 40 percent of hospitalized adults and nearly half of all healthcare dollars spent on hospitalization in 2008, but comprised less than 13 percent of the population in the United States. Individuals of 85 years and older make up only 1.8 percent ...