Recognizing Elder Abuse – Billings Professionals

Tourtlotte Law Firm is a strong supporter of our local community and the individuals within. We also care deeply for the elderly population and want to empower the members of our community by helping you understand how elder abuse happens and what can be done to resolve it.

Recognizing Elder Abuse

There are misperceptions about elderly abuse. For some, they don’t see it and do not have loved ones who could be victims of elder abuse. But it is real…and often ends without justice being served to the abuser. 3 Types Of Elderly Abuse  It’s a common misconception that elderly abuse happens more often with caretakers who are not relatives. But the unfortunate truth is that elderly abuse can happen in any setting, whether it’s with family or not. It’s not always easy to see that abuse is happening either. Abuse can come in different forms that don’t leave marks on an elderly person’s body. Elderly abuse can be physical but it is often emotional and financial. Let’s talk about these 3 types of elderly abuse:

• Neglect – Neglect is a common type of abuse that abusers take advantage of because it is really difficult to see. Neglecting the needs of an individual is a common type of elderly abuse. In this circumstance, the abuser might deny essential needs like water, food, warmth, or comfort. Mishandling the elderly physically like dropping them, not cleaning them, or ignoring their personal hygiene needs is legally considered physical abuse and any caretaker who neglects a person in their care can be legally held accountable.  If you suspect elderly neglect of a loved one, you can reach out to Tourtlotte Law Firm for help.
• Verbal/Emotional – Verbal and emotional abuse often happen together and happen in many households. Emotional abuse can be more easily hidden than neglect or other more physical types of abuse. People who suffer from dementia are commonly victims of emotional abuse because they can’t remember the abuse well, which means they can’t tell anyone. This type of abuse is significantly damaging to an elderly person. Emotional abuse might include:

• • Isolating
  • Ignoring
  • Taunting and name calling
  • Threatening
  • Scaring
  • Manipulating
• Financial – Abusing an elderly person’s finances is unfortunately common for people who are responsible for their care. Having the authority to access bank accounts, credit cards, and more can put elderly people in very vulnerable situations. Other caretakers might coerce elderly patients into signing documents they don’t understand. They can be easily frauded out of money and valuable material items like jewelry, electronics, automobiles and more.  Financial abuse can destroy an elderly person’s life and their overall well-being.

At some point, your loved ones are going to require help. The elderly are as innocent as children and are trusting caretakers to care for their physical bodies, their emotional bodies and their personal belongings. Unsuspecting individuals can easily be taken advantage of and the abusers will get away with it. If you suspect any type of elderly abuse, contact the attorneys at Tourtlotte Law Firm in Billings. We have experience, education, and the knowledge to know what kind of case is present, and what steps we need to take to start a claim against the people responsible for the abuse. Your phone call is the protection that a person in need requires to move toward safety. Call us today.