The Three Categories of Elder Abuse

Elder abuse is when older adults – usually 70 or above – are abused or mistreated by a family member or someone they know and trust. Elder abuse is a form of family violence, and there are various kinds of elder abuse, the most common ones being physical, emotional, and financial abuse.

Physical Elder Abuse

Physical elder abuse is when someone intentionally causes an older adult physical harm. This kind of abuse also includes abuse stemming from neglect and sexual abuse. Some examples of physical abuse include:

• Hitting, kicking, or punching an elderly person
• Using painful restraints on an elderly person or locking them up in a room
• Neglecting an older person and failing to provide them with food, water, proper clothing, medication, etc.
• Forcing an elderly person to engage in sexual acts against their will or without their consent
• Not supervising an older person as a result of which they come into harm

Emotional Elder Abuse

Emotional abuse is when someone causes an older person emotional or psychological pain or distress. One of the most common forms of emotional abuse that older adults suffer is when caretakers isolate them from family and loved ones. This is also known as social abuse, whereby an elderly person is forced to cut social ties or is prevented from meeting other people.

Other forms of emotional abuse include humiliating an elderly person, calling them names, using abusive and derogatory language with them, or bullying or intimidating them.

Financial Elder Abuse

Financial abuse is usually carried about by an older person's power of attorney, who takes advantage of them and uses them for some kind of financial gain. Some examples of financial elder abuse include:

• Misusing the power of attorney
• Pressuring an older person to give you their money or forcing them to pay for things they don’t want to
• Stealing money or valuable possessions from elderly people
• Forcing an elderly person to sign legal documents that dictate the use of their finances
• Making changes to financial and legal documents without the elderly person’s knowledge or consent

Get in Touch with Evans Case for Attorneys Trained to Handle Elder Abuse

If you suspect elder abuse or neglect towards someone you know or care about, you should consult with an attorney immediately by getting in touch with Evans Case.

Evans Case is a full-service Denver estate planning law firm with over 110 years of experience. To get you started, we can offer you a no-cost, no-obligation initial consultation with our experienced elder abuse-trained attorneys.

Call us at (303) 722 8000 or contact us on our website for a free 30-minute consultation.