Elder abuse is becoming a contemporary issue globally because humankind can already be considered as ageing since their population is growing. The ageing process and associated conditions makes older people more vulnerable to various kinds of maltreatment. The World Health Organization defined elder abuse as "a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person."

This may take the forms of physical, emotional, financial abuses, or even neglect, and often goes unnoticed because a large proportion of older persons are isolated and do not wish to report their abuse due to feelings of fear, shame, or concern about retaliation (Reis da Silva, 2024).

Adding to the complexity of addressing elder abuse is the fact that it may be happening everywhere-from family homes to long-term care facilities to hospitals. The very nature of elder abuse often involves a violation of trust in areas where older adults should feel safe. Moreover, those experiencing declining cognitive function, such as dementia or physical disabilities, or those requiring others for daily care are particularly vulnerable. They may also be unable to communicate about the abuse or may be marginalised when they do try to communicate about it, further complicating efforts at detection and intervention.

Nurses are in the position to be key professionals to identify and respond to the problem of elder abuse. As direct caregivers, nurses have more frequent and sustained exposure to older adults than other healthcare professionals, and, therefore, are more uniquely positioned to identify the often-subtle signs of abuse.

These might include unexplained injuries, sudden changes in behaviour, or changes in financial status. Other signs to look out for include emotional signs such as fear, withdrawal, and anxiety. For this purpose, nurses should not only be trained to recognise these warning signals but also to intervene safely and ethically to protect and support the older person.

Elder abuse must be addressed using appropriate safeguarding mechanisms and referrals. Public awareness and social education will go a long way in reducing stigma associated with reporting abuse, as well as educating the community on the rights of older people. Equally, however, legal protection needs to be tightened to bring the offenders to justice, while creating victim support systems simultaneously. Not the least, training for health professionals, particularly nurses, for sensitive detection and management of elder abuse cases would be useful (da Silva, 2022).

Nurses can significantly prevent and address the issue of elder abuse by providing a safe and supportive environment for them and championing their rights as a means of protecting the dignity and wellbeing of populations that are vulnerable (Reis da Silva, 2023).

Reference

Reis da Silva, Tiago Horta. “Prevalence of elder abuse: a narrative review.” British journal of community nursing vol. 29,9 (2024): 442-446. doi: https://doi.org/10.12968/bjcn.2024.0004