As adult relatives grow older, it’s not always safe for them to live alone. Eventually, their adult children or other family members might have to entrust their care to someone else. Unfortunately, not all caregivers are trustworthy, as some abuse the elderly adults they’re expected to care for.
If you believe an older relative has suffered elder abuse, contact our California elder abuse lawyers for legal advice. At Thon Beck Vanni Callahan & Powell, we sympathize with elder abuse victims who have endured physical and mental suffering, and we’ll work hard to get them compensated. Contact our law offices in Pasadena to schedule a time to talk to an elder abuse attorney you can trust.
What Is Elder Abuse?
If you suspect a senior citizen has been abused, it’s important to ensure that the elder abuse stops and the victim gets help. The first step should be to report elder abuse to the local police so they can file criminal charges. Next, you should contact a California elder abuse lawyer for legal advice. Throughout this process, make sure you understand what elder abuse is and how to identify it.
Elder abuse occurs when someone intentionally harms an adult who is 60 or older. In most cases, the person committing elder abuse is in charge of a dependent adult. They might be a nursing home employee, a nurse at a hospital, or a caregiver at the senior’s home. Sometimes, they’re related to the elderly victim and are struggling with financial problems, mental illness, or a lack of proper training as a caregiver. Either way, they’re supposed to assist and protect elderly adults, not hurt them.
Certain risk factors make some senior citizens particularly likely to be victimized. A caregiver might easily take advantage of a dependent adult with mental or physical disabilities, including dementia. Elderly adults not in touch with family or friends could also be targeted. Finally, wealthy older adults can become victims of financial abuse by caregivers who prey on them.
What Are the Main Types of Elder Abuse?
When you think of elder abuse, you might immediately think about physical abuse that results in physical pain for the victim. While most elder abuse causes injuries, there are other ways that people victimize older adults, including financial exploitation, sexual assault, and psychological abuse. The most common types of elder abuse include:
- Physical abuse: This occurs when someone physically harms an older person by hitting, kicking, or pushing them, causing injuries. They might also use physical restraints or psychotropic medication to keep elderly victims subdued and physically impaired.
- Caregiver neglect: Some caregivers at nursing homes neglect elderly patients, as they do not provide sufficient food, medical care, or clothing. They might also fail to assist with personal hygiene and proper supervision.
- Emotional abuse: Caregivers who exhibit emotional abuse yell at, humiliate, or threaten, elderly adults. This can lead to intense fear, distress, and sadness in victims of emotional abuse.
- Sexual abuse: This occurs when a caregiver forces an elderly person to observe or participate in unwanted sexual acts. Both sexual assault and sexual harassment fall into this elder abuse category.
- Financial abuse: This is when a caregiver takes money from an elderly person. They might steal cash from the victim’s house or nursing home room or forge their signature on checks.
If you believe your loved one is a victim of financial elder abuse, physical abuse, or other mistreatment, call an elder abuse attorney. At Thon Beck Vanni Callahan & Powell, our elder abuse lawyers have been assisting clients in Pasadena for over 30 years, so we’re confident we can provide legal guidance when you suspect elder abuse.
What Are Signs of Elder Abuse?
Knowing the warning signs that someone is suffering from elder abuse is helpful. They vary depending on the type of elder abuse going on. When it’s physical, a dependent adult might have unexplained injuries and a sharp increase in the need for medical care.
A dependent adult who is the victim of mental, or emotional abuse, or sexual abuse might show signs of emotional or mental suffering. This includes sadness, agitation, depression, anxiety, or poor self-esteem. Victims of these types of elder abuse might also become withdrawn from friends and family or begin having suicidal thoughts.
Dependent adults whose caregivers have neglected them tend to show signs of poor personal hygiene, dehydration, and malnutrition. They might also suffer from bedsores and other preventable medical issues.
When dependent adults are suffering financial elder abuse, their bank accounts might make it obvious. There may be numerous unexplained withdrawals from their checking or savings accounts, missing checks, and assets that are no longer in their name. If you notice any of these signs of elder abuse, you should call a California elder abuse attorney to discuss your options.
To learn common warning signs of elder abuse refer to this in-depth article on what are the warning signs of elder abuse.
How Can An Elder Abuse Attorney Help?
If you’re looking for a skilled elder abuse attorney in Pasadena, visit our law firm. Our elder abuse lawyers know California’s elder abuse laws well enough to file a lawsuit that seeks damages for the victim. No matter what kind of elder abuse they’ve suffered, they will need compensation to pay bills related to the incident.
For instance, most victims will need health care and counseling to deal with the effects of elder abuse. Victims of financial elder abuse will also need to be compensated for economic losses. A California elder abuse attorney can gather evidence before pursuing compensation for the victim. This way, the abuser will face both civil and criminal charges for breaking California’s elder abuse laws.
If you’re ready to talk to an experienced, caring California elder abuse attorney about an elder abuse case, call our Pasadena law firm at (626) 208-9906. We can use our years of experience and knowledge of elder abuse laws to get justice for your loved one.
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