Elder Abuse

Elder abuse is any intentional or negligent behavior that results in physical, sexual, emotional, pharmacological, and/or financial abuse. Unfortunately, abuse is sometimes difficult to identify, and elders are often hesitant or unable to report abuse themselves (Administration on Aging, n.d.). This makes it important for health care providers to regularly monitor for signs of abuse and react according to local and state laws.

Journal Entry Part 1

For the first part of your journal entry, select and describe one of the following types of elder abuse: physical, sexual, mental/emotional/verbal, pharmacological, or financial. Explain strategies for identifying this abuse. Then, explain how you would proceed based on your local and state laws once you have identified this abuse in a patient. Describe resources in your community that assist victims of this type of abuse and explain how you, as the advanced practice nurse, might apply these resources for abused elders who are identified in the clinical setting.

Journal Entry Part 2

For the second part of your journal entry, reflect on the different cultures—ethnic, religious, regional, or generational—of the elder patient population at your practicum site. Describe the cultures you have observed and explain the influence of these cultures on the prevalence and detection of elder abuse. Then, explain how culture might impact the way you would implement resources for preventing or addressing abuse.