Protecting Elders from Abuse Through Family Restoration

The holiday season means family gatherings, and an opportunity to check in on elderly loved ones. Emily A. Martin, Candidate for Juris Doctor, Class of 2012, has written an excellent article dealing with how to protect elderly family members from abuse through family restoration. She writes,

"As the population of elderly people in America continues to increase, so do the difficulties associated with caring for senior citizens. When people age, they often become unable to care for themselves and require the assistance of in-home caregivers, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes to help them in their day-to-day lives. However, these situations often lead to the physical abuse, intimidation, or punishment of the elderly people who rely on their caregivers.

Often, seniors are unwilling or unable to report the abuse to their friends or family. To make matters worse, family members, nursing home staff, and assisted living facility staff are frequently discouraged from reporting the abuse to the proper authorities. Attorneys who are helping elderly clients and their families plan for the future must be well-educated on the subject of elder abuse, including knowing how to recognize elder abuse and having an awareness of ways to prevent and fight elder abuse. Lawyers can then impart this knowledge to clients, giving them the ability to combat elder abuse when they are faced with it."

Emily's article examines whether legal or social resources for loved ones and family members of senior citizens are adequate when it is suspected that those senior citizens are the victims of physical elder abuse. It explains the definition of elder abuse and the many effects that elder abuse can have on elderly people and their families. It discussed the legal remedies and social resources available to those who wish to fight elder abuse, followed by suggestions for changes that must be made in order to combat and prevent elder abuse in the future.

Read the entire article here. This Christmas protect your elderly family members by finding ways to keep them safe and restore them to your family.