Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of Older Adults

Approximately two million elderly people are abused each year in the United States of America. This problem is expected to get worse as our aging population increases and becomes sicker, and financial stresses and role changes strain personal relationships. In order to intervene effectively when caring for elderly victims of abuse health care professionals must be able to recognize all aspects of the problem. In addition, it is important to be familiar with legal obligations and agencies available to provide support for the victims of abuse and neglect.

This program is presented to explore the different forms of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. Factors that put the elderly at risk for abuse and neglect, ways to identify possible abuse and appropriate interventions will be discussed. A discussion of the nursing process and elder abuse, documentation, and abuse prevention training in nursing homes is included.

The individual completing this course will understand:

• Briefly define Abuse, Neglect, and Financial abuse.
• List three contributing factors related to elder abuse.
• State a health care professional's responsibility related to suspected or identified elder abuse.
• Identify three common forms of elder abuse.
• List three factors that may contribute to elder abuse in long-term care facilities.
• List three characteristics of elder abusers.
• Explain how stress can contribute to elder abuse.
• Describe why the rate of nursing assistants abusing residents is so high in nursing homes.
• List the two types of psychological abuse.
• Defne the term neglect as related to elder abuse
• Describe two effects of psychological abuse on an elderly person.
• List a signs that may indicate that the elderly person is psychologically abused.
• Identify one indicator of material abuse.
• List three interventions to use when caring for abused elderly in the community.
• Identify the use of restraints in nursing homes as a possible factor in elder abuse.
• Explain the importance of documentation when caring for abused elderly.
• List three important points of effective documentation.
• List three signs that may indicate neglect.
• Identify two goals of abuse prevention training in long-term care facilities.
• Identify an important benefit of providing abuse prevention programs in your facility.
• Identify three important points that must be emphasized during a new employee's orientation.
• List three measures that may ease the stress of caregiving and prevent elder abuse in the nursing home.
• List four factors that should be included in an abuse prevention program.
• Describe the technique of RETHINK that can be used to solve conflict.

• NAB: This educational offering has been reviewed by the National Continuing Education Review Service (NCERS) of the National Association of Boards of Examiners of Long Term Care Administrators (NAB) and approved for 3.25 clock hours.
• California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS): PCE # 3291
• California RCFE and ARF: Approval pursuant to NAB and BBS approval
• California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (LVN):#V-10621
• Continuing Education (CE) by the New Jersey Board of Social Work Examiners under N.J.A.C 13:44-6
• Michigan Department of Human Services: Approved for Adult Foster Care Administrators pursuant to Rules 400.14203 and 400.15203
• Kansas Department of Health and Environment: Approval #: LTS -A1138 (Resident Care)
• Oregon Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators: : General 0 Ethics:5