Study to Assess the Effect of Counseling on Elder Abuse among Elders and Their Caregivers

Abstract

Elders are suffering from physical abuse, psychological or emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, abandonment abuse, and even self–neglect 1 . Forms of physical abuse include rough handling during care giving, pinching, hitting, or slapping. Emotional abuse, which inflicts anguish, pain, or distress through verbal aggression, threats, intimidation, insults, humiliation, and harassment. More rarely, elders are sexually abused, which may include rape. Some elders are neglected due to failure by those responsible to provide food, shelter, health care or protection for a vulnerable elder. Older adults are frequently exploited through illegal taking, misuse, or concealment of funds, property, or assets of a vulnerable elder 2-3 . Abuse of the elderly by caregivers is now recognized as a growing problem in the United States with the global population of older people (aged 60 and above) predicted to triple from 672 million in 2005 to almost 1.9 billion in 2050, concerns around elder abuse increasing 4 . Although the overwhelming majority of informal caregivers provide adequate to excellent care; reports of abuse are not uncommon and appear to be on the rise. What makes more the situation worse is that, many cases of elderly abuse are either not accurately reported or not known at all. Abuse by caregivers may be physical, emotional or financial. It may involve intentional or unintentional neglect. The motive behind financial abuse and intentional neglect, for example, is often greed. Domestic violence by a care giving spouse or intimate partner is motivated by the abuser’s need to exercise power and control. Abuse by caregivers may be triggered or exacerbated by alcohol or substance abuse, or psychiatric illness 5 . Caregiver burnout and frustration can lead to elder mistreatment. Substance abuse by the caregiver or the patient, especially abuse of alcohol, significantly increases the risk of physical violence and neglect. Counseling is a twoway process through which the provider helps the clients makes informed decision about their health. Counseling helps the patient explore their needs and concerns. It also helps them clarify, define, discuss and understand their feeling, make their own decision, and resolve their own problems 6 . Counseling for behavioral or personal problems in the family member can play a significant role in helping people to change lifelong patterns of behaviors or find solution to problems emerging from current stresses and educating older persons and caregivers about abuse, neglect, and exploitation to reduce elderly abuse 7 . Community Health Nurses are involved in primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention efforts for elders and caregivers. Four major areas in which Community Health Nurses play an important role in addressing elder abuse are identification of suspected cases; reduction of risk and maintenance of independence; oversight, supervision, and encouragement of caregivers; and development of support group 8 . Community Health Nurses should become involved in exploring service options for elderly individuals and in educating the general public in the problems of older individuals and their caregivers. These goals can be partly accomplished by designing and delivering educational programs to community groups and organizations or by advocating for legislation designed to assist elder independence and elder caregivers whenever possible. Public understanding about the ageing process and safeguards to ensure a safe and secure environment for the senior members of our communities will go a long way toward reducing the problems of elder abuse 9 . Educating people about elder abuse, promoting increased social contact and support for families with dependent older adults, and encouraging counseling and treatment to cope with personal and family problems that contribute to abuse is the cornerstone of preventing elder abuse. So, the study aims to assess the effect of counseling on elder abuse among elders and their caregivers 7 .