How Safe are Our Elders?

The subject of elder abuse is one that many of us don't like to address. But, with so many older adults living with family, in nursing homes, or other care facilities, there are many questions we need to ask to identify if an older person is experiencing physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, and even financial abuse. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), it is very difficult to know exactly how many victims of elder abuse there are each year. The best estimates range from 1 million to 2 million per year, but reporting rates are low. This article provides some of the ways abuse is occurring and offers prevention strategies that can help us confront this problem.