Elder Abuse Attorneys serving San Diego

What is elder abuse?

As elders become physically frail, they are less able to take care of themselves and come to rely on family, friends and caregivers to assist them.  These frail elderly are unable to stand up to bullying or fight back if attacked.  These cherished elders are targets for unscrupulous people to take advantage of them, physically, emotionally and financially.  The elder abuse attorneys in our San Diego law firm have represented many elderly who have been abused by friends, family or caregivers and are tenacious advocates for the rights of the elderly. 

Types of elder abuse

Abuse of elders takes many different forms, some involving intimidation or threats, neglect, and others involve financial exploitation.  The most common abuses are;

• Physical Abuse, a non-accidental use of force against an elderly that results in physical pain, injury or impairment.  Physical abuse includes physical assaults such as hitting and also the inappropriate use of drugs, restraints or confinement.
• Emotional Abuse, when caregivers speak to or treat elderly persons in ways that cause emotional pain or distress, such as verbal abuse of intimidation through yelling or threats, humiliation, ridicule, or non-verbal abuse, ignoring the elderly person, isolating an elder from friends or activities, terrorizing the elderly person.
• Sexual Abuse, contact with an elderly person without the elder's consent which can involve physical sexual acts, forcing the elderly person to watch sexual activity or pornographic material.
• Neglect or abandonment, failure of the caregiver to fulfill the duties of a caregiver, such as failing to provide nourishment, water, medications, and properly care for the elder.
• Financial exploitation, unauthorized use of the elderly person's funds or property.  This can happen through an outside scam artist, the caregiver, family or friends who take financial advantage of the elderly person.

Signs of elder abuse

Many times we don't recognize or take seriously the signs of abuse, thinking they could be signs of dementia, or the caregiver explains the suspect sign in a way that appears logical.  However, many symptoms of elder abuse do overlap mental deterioration and physical frailty.  This does not mean they should be dismissed. 

General signs include mood swings, changes in personality or behavior of the elder, unexplained signs of injury, broken bones, drug overdose or failure to take medication, caregiver who limits visits with the elderly or refuses to leave the room during visits, unusual weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration, unsanitary living conditions, and sudden changes in the elder's financial condition. 

If you suspect an elderly loved one is being abused, please try to intervene.  Get more involved in the care of the elder, talk to the caregiver or supervisor, and assess the situation.  If the caregiver or supervisor is not helping resolve the situation, you need to retain immediate help.  Call our San Diego elder abuse lawyers immediately to obtain the help your elderly loved one needs.