One of the realities of caring for an elderly relative is that you often have to involve non-family members in that persons care – be it through nursing aides or assistants that come to the home or through attendants at a nursing home. While most people who work with the elderly have their best interests at heart, some people mistreat the people in their care. Many cases of elder abuse are not reported; however, more vigilance by family members may help decrease the instances of elder abuse.

Some major different types of elder abuse that you may see include physical, sexual, financial, and healthcare fraud.

Physical abuse: This is the use of physical force that may result in physical pain, injury or impairment. This can include the inappropriate use of medications or physical restraints to subdue a person. Forced feedings, burning or shaking can also be evidence of physical abuse.

Sexual abuse: Sexual abuse is the non-consensual sexual contact with an elderly person and can include touching, rape, or inappropriate photographs.

Financial abuse: As many elderly people may be unable to fully manage their financial affairs, they may be at risk for an unscrupulous aide to access their financial information and take some of the money for themselves. Valuables and other property may also be stolen as well. Valuables should be kept in a secure location to lower this risk.

Healthcare fraud: Some health care providers may double-bill for services or submit invoices for services that were not provided. Other abuses include incorrect billing or billing at a higher level for services performed by less-qualified professionals.

Other types of elder abuse are negligence, emotional and abandonment.

The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) which is a department of the Administration on Aging has resources for families with information on how to obtain help if you notice a problem.

As the elderly age, they need more and more help with issues such as health care, daily chores and other items. While it might be hard to imagine there is an ongoing issue with elder abuse. Just like there is child abuse there is also elder abuse that goes on within a caretaker/patient relationship.

Elder abuse does not really have a specific definition. It is a general term that many people label any type of mistreatment of elderly people. This treatment can come in many forms from physical abuse, mental abuse, sexual abuse, deprivation of food, mistreatment of medical care and even abandonment.

Elder abuse is normally done by a trusted individual. It does not include strangers or those that have no working relationship with the elderly person. In many ways the forms of domestic violence can be considered elderly abuse as they are one and the same type of abuse.

At the moment when statistics are taken, elderly abuse does not include any type of illegal activity that happens to them. This can be from a physical break in of their home or nursing home room, attacks or muggings, carjacking and a number of other issues that elderly people may face.

It appears as if elderly abuse is on the rise. However, many centers and associations are starting to raise awareness of elderly abuse happening in the world. There are TV ads, magazine ads, newspaper ads and hot lines that encourage people to report and talk about elderly abuse should they expect that it is happening.

If you suspect elderly abuse please call one of the hot lines that are available and seek help for that elderly person. It can be an extremely difficult situation but elderly people deserve better care then having to face this issue of elderly care. Remember that you can do something to prevent it by speaking out.