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Older adults can experience several different kinds of harm from people they rely on or trust. Abuse and neglect in later life can affect an older adult's health, happiness, and safety.
Abuse can occur to older adults of any culture, ethnic group, social background or religion. Approximately one in 12 or 46,000 older adults in British Columbia experience abuse or neglect at some point. It can take many forms, including physical, emotional, financial, sexual, spiritual or social.
Financial abuse is the most common type of abuse that people may experience in later life, representing over one-half of known situations of abuse. Financial abuse means using a person's money or property without their permission. Financial abuse can take away the older person's resources, choices, and options.
Financial abuse typically involves a family member or another person who puts themselves in a position of trust with the older adult. Financial abuse can occur when a family member or friend takes over financial decisions and control of the older adult's money. Financial neglect occurs if a family member or friend controls the money and does not meet the older adult's needs.
Financial abuse and neglect negatively affect the trust that family members have in each other. Adult children may not consider or realize that their actions are financially abusive or neglectful toward their parent(s).
Common examples of financial abuse include:
Financial abuse may involve any amount of money or any size of property. Some forms of financial abuse involve theft or fraud, and these are considered crimes.
Both older men and older women can experience financial abuse. Women tend to experience financial abuse more often than men. Some women may be financially inexperienced, particularly if they have not worked outside the home or have not had much experience managing money.
Older women also tend to have fewer resources. They may be forced to live in a situation of abuse or neglect for a longer time period because they tend to live longer than men.
Financial abuse occurs when a person's sense of need, entitlement, or greed for the money is greater than their ability to remain fair, honest and caring with the older person.
In some cultures, there are expectations and assumptions about who gets money after a parent dies. Others in the family may feel this is not fair, but they may not be able to do anything about it.
Older parents and their
grown children may use banking machines or joint accounts together to make helping
easier, but they may not recognize the risk in doing so.
Financial abuse is more likely to occur during a health crisis or after a major
change in health. Some older adults become vulnerable to financial abuse when
their spouse, partner or close friend dies. They now have many new decisions
to make, but they are grieving the person's death. Older adults may also become
more vulnerable to abuse during a major change in health.
Individuals who cause abuse and/or neglect to older adults often threaten, harass, or intimidate them. They may cause fears in older adults by threatening to not let them see their grandchildren or threatening to leave them alone or place them in a residential care facility.
Older adults often experience worry, depression, or anxiety as a result of abuse and neglect. Some people may mistake these as signs of memory loss or illness, when really they are the effects of stress or worry. An older adult may feel shame, guilt, or embarrassment that someone in the family or someone close has harmed them. An older adult who feels abused or neglected usually loses trust in the person who causes the harm. Sometimes when older adults tell someone about the abuse, the person hearing it might act as if they do not believe them. This can cause further harm to the person's feelings.
Some older adults who have experienced abuse earlier or throughout their lives may use alcohol or prescription drugs to help with sleep or anxiety. It is their way of coping with the emotional and physical hurt. Some may develop a dependency on alcohol or medications.
Today, older adults are more willing to seek counselling or the support of a group. This may help them with the emotional and other effects of abuse or neglect. They may find this support very helpful for regaining their self-esteem and self-confidence.
If you depend on someone to do the banking, especially if your health is changing or you need to go to the hospital or into a care facility, consider alternatives such as having the bank automatically pay your bills.
If lending money, write down the amount, the person's name and the date you loaned it. This can help you remember what was given, what was promised, and whether it was a loan or a gift. It is important for both parents and children to recognize always that this is the parent's money. For any major decision involving property, consider using a notary, lawyer, or community advocate.
If you discover a crime or dangerous situation is occurring to an older adult, call the police or 911 immediately. If you are not sure if an older person is being abused or neglected and you want to talk to a health professional, you can call the BC NurseLine 24 hours a day for information and advice.
For resources available in your community, contact the Home and Community Care Office in your local health authority, or contact the B.C. Coalition to Eliminate Abuse of Seniors at 604-437-1940 or at www.bcceas.ca.
For information on legal services, including how to access legal aid and advice, contact the Legal Services Society of BC LawLINE at 604-408-2172 or 1-866-577-2525 (outside of Greater Vancouver) or at www.lss.bc.ca.
For more information, see other topics in the BC HealthFiles Elder Abuse Prevention Series.
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