WORLD ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY

ST TAMMANY PARISHSALT COUNCILJUNE 11, 2012

ELDER ABUSE

TYPES AND SIGNS OF ASSAULT

Paul Greenwood,Deputy District Attorney,

San Diego County, California

Debbie Harrison, RNHealth Care Consulting, LLC

Lafayette, Louisiana

PRESENTED BY

Elder abuse is a term referring to any knowing, intentional, or negligent act by a caregiver or any other person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable adult.

WHAT IS ELDER ABUSE?

Physical Abuse

Emotional Abuse

Sexual Abuse

Exploitation

Neglect

Abandonment

TYPES OF ELDER ABUSE

PHYSICAL ABUSE

Physical abuse Is defined as the use of physical force that may result in bodily injury, physical pain, or impairment.

Physical abuse may include but is not limited to such acts of violence as striking (with or without an object), hitting, beating, pushing, shoving, shaking, slapping, kicking, pinching, and burning. In addition, inappropriate use of drugs and physical restraints, force-feeding, and physical punishment of any kind also are examples of physical abuse.

bruises, black eyes, welts, lacerations, and rope marks;

bone fractures, broken bones, and skull fractures;

open wounds, cuts, punctures, untreated injuries in various stages of healing;

sprains, dislocations, and internal injuries/bleeding;

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

broken eyeglasses/frames, physical signs of being subjected to punishment, and signs of being restrained;

laboratory findings of medication overdose or under utilization of prescribed drugs;

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS, CONT’D

an elder's report of being hit, slapped, kicked, or mistreated;

an elder's sudden change in behavior; and

the caregiver's refusal to allow visitors to see an elder alone.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS, CONT’D

Sexual abuse is defined as non-consensual sexual contact of any kind with an elderly person. Sexual contact with any person incapable of giving consent is also considered sexual abuse. It includes, but is not limited to, unwanted touching, all types of sexual assault or battery, such as rape, sodomy, coerced nudity, and sexually explicit photographing.

SEXUAL ABUSE

bruises around the breasts or genital area;

unexplained venereal disease or genital infections;

unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding; torn, stained, or bloody underclothing;

and an elder's report of being sexually

assaulted or raped.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Emotional or psychological abuse is defined as the infliction of anguish, pain, or distress through verbal or nonverbal acts.

EMOTIONAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE

Emotional/psychological abuse includes but is not limited to verbal assaults, insults, threats, intimidation, humiliation, and harassment. In addition, treating an older person like an infant; isolating an elderly person from his/her family, friends, or regular activities; giving an older person the "silent treatment;" and enforced social isolation are examples of emotional/psychological abuse.

being emotionally upset or agitated; being extremely withdrawn and non communicative or non responsive;

unusual behavior usually attributed to dementia (e.g., sucking, biting, rocking); and

an elder's report of being verbally or emotionally mistreated.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Neglect is defined as the refusal or failure to fulfill any part of a person's obligations or duties to an elder. Neglect may also include failure of a person who has fiduciary responsibilities to provide care for an elder (e.g., pay for necessary home care services) or the failure on the part of an in-home service provider to provide necessary care.

NEGLECT

Neglect typically means the refusal or failure to provide an elderly person with such life necessities as food, water, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene, medicine, comfort, personal safety, and other essentials included in an implied or agreed-upon responsibility to an elder.

NEGLECT

dehydration, malnutrition, untreated bed sores, and poor personal hygiene;

unattended or untreated health problems; hazardous or unsafe living

condition/arrangements (e.g., improper wiring, no heat, or no running water);

unsanitary and unclean living conditions (e.g. dirt, fleas, lice on person, soiled bedding, fecal/urine smell, inadequate clothing); and

an elder's report of being mistreated.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Abandonment is defined as the desertion of an elderly person by an individual who has assumed responsibility for providing care for an elder, or by a person with physical custody of an elder.

ABANDONMENT

the desertion of an elder at a hospital, a nursing facility, or other similar institution;

the desertion of an elder at a shopping center or other public location; and

an elder's own report of being abandoned.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Self-neglect is characterized as the behavior of an elderly person that threatens his/her own health or safety. Self-neglect generally manifests itself in an older person as a refusal or failure to provide himself/herself with adequate food, water, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene, medication (when indicated), and safety precautions.

SELF-NEGLECT

The definition of self-neglect excludes a situation in which a mentally competent older person, who understands the consequences of his/her decisions, makes a conscious and voluntary decision to engage in acts that threaten his/her health or safety as a matter of personal choice.

dehydration, malnutrition, untreated or improperly attended medical conditions, and poor personal hygiene;

hazardous or unsafe living conditions/arrangements (e.g., improper wiring, no indoor plumbing, no heat, no running water);

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

unsanitary or unclean living quarters (e.g., animal/insect infestation, no functioning toilet, fecal/urine smell);

inappropriate and/or inadequate clothing, lack of the necessary medical aids (e.g., eyeglasses, hearing aids, dentures); and

grossly inadequate housing or homelessness.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Module 6Nurse Responses to Elder Mistreatment

An IAFN Education Course

Screening and Assessment of

Elder Mistreatment

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Screening and Assessment

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Nurses need to know how to screen, assess, document and report elder mistreatment (EM)

Screening provides an opportunity to detect or rule out EM◦ If there is a suspicion, screening can trigger

full assessment

Interviewing Patients

1. First ask general questions

2. Then ask more questions as necessary

◦ Probe for physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, abandonment and exploitation

3. If you received an affirmative answer regarding a possible incident of mistreatment, follow-up to determine—◦ How did it occur? When did it occur?◦ Where did it occur? Who was involved?

4. Document statements in medical record

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Based on AMA guidelines (1992) Has anyone at home (or nursing home)

hurt you?

Has anyone at home (or nursing home) ever touched you without your consent?

Has anyone at home (or nursing home) ever made you do things you did not want to do?

9 General Screening Questions

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Has anyone at home (or nursing home) ever scolded or threatened you?

Are you afraid of anyone at home (or at nursing home)?

Are you often left alone at home (or nursing home)?

Has anyone at home (or nursing home) ever failed to help you take care of yourself when you needed help?

9 General Screening Questions (cont.)

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More specific questions may be asked of residents in long-term care settings

Since you have been here, has any employee, resident, family member, volunteer or visitor hurt you?

OR Since you have been here, has any

employee, resident, family member, volunteer or visitor hit, slapped or otherwise hurt you?

9 General Screening Questions (cont.)

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Communications w/Patients

Seek informed consent, explaining scope and limits of confidentiality

Ask about and plan for patient safety

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Communications w/Patients

Questions first directed at patient

Even if an older adult has a cognitive disability, it is reasonable to ask about mistreatmentS. Aravanis, R. Adelman, R. Breckman, T. Fulmer, E. Holder, M. Lachs, J. O’Brien & A. Sanders, Diagnostic and treatment guideline on elder abuse and neglect, Archive of Family Medicine, 1993

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Communications w/Patients

Question patients initially in a private setting, away from caregivers, family or others

Aravanis, Adelman, Breckman, Fulmer, Holder, Lachs, O’Brien & Sanders

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Communications w/Patients

Keep questions simple and direct

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Communications w/Patients

Find out the patient’s preferred method of communication

Consider how circumstances of patient might affect communications and accommodate when possible

Use communication strategies that encourage patients to talk openly and honestly with you

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Communications w/Patients

Give patients a sense of hope and help them open up

Use a warm, caring and empathic manner

Anticipate and work to overcome reluctance to disclose mistreatment

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Screening/Assessment Leaves Door Open…

Many patients will deny mistreatment or refuse to discuss it

However, screening and assessment lets them know someone cares and help is available

B. Brandl, Assessing abuse in later life , 2004

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WE MUST BE PROACTIVE

ADVOCATES FOR OUR ELDERLY!

THANK YOU