Behind bland and innocent façades, venues of ugliness lurk. Occasionally one erupts for all to see, in the form of domestic violence, spousal abuse, child cruelty, and the like.
Claire Petersky of the Wallingford Community Senior Center and Detective Nicole Freutel of Seattle Police HQ, gave us insight into the dark realm of elder abuse. This is a practice that is often hidden; its total prevalence is not known. However, 18,400 cases were identified in King County alone (over what span of time was not specified).
The types of elder abuse may be bodily, sexual, and psychological. As to the category of financial, the elderly has been bilked to the extent of $36 billion nationwide, with an average of $120K per victim. Add to this the areas of neglect and self-neglect.
The risk factors that lead to vulnerability include low social support via no use of social services, isolation, previous trauma, dementia, low income, poor English, and deficient physical health. In any of these situations, an abuser has fertile ground for this sort of mischief. In many cases one’s innate prefrontal cortical “BS detector” will have declined, leading to victimization. Social isolation, including widowed status, contribute to vulnerability.
Of the perpetrators, 90% are family members, 50% being adult children. 45% are caregivers. A warning sign is the sudden interest one might take in an older person. Others may be unusual money transfers or gifts, unpaid bills, or the purchase of items not appropriate for the elderly.
Victims include those who become vulnerable due to some factor such as a stroke. Someone steps in to assist the newly financially dependent.
What to do? If you feel that something fishy is afoot, file an Adult Protective Services or a Law Enforcement report. The money cannot always be recovered. Seattle does have a unit for elder protection. It is presently understaffed.
Of interest is that JP Morgan Chase has set up a program to aid in recognizing the red flags when they occur.
Be aware of the recommendation, in case of a suspected instance of abuse, to tell at least one other person.
Comment: Inhumanity takes no holidays.