Identifying Abuse/Neglect in Children and Elders

The improper usage or treatment of an entity, otherwise known as abuse is sadly all to common in day to day human interaction.  It takes hundreds of shapes and forms, such as physical, verbal, maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, and of course unjust practices.  although abuse can occur in many different ways, it is most commonly found in elders, as well as children due to their inability to defend or protect themselves.  This may be a horrible topic to cover, however, it is enormously crucial to understand the importance behind identification, prevention, and taking action in order to stop abuse. The first step that all of us are responsible for, is identifying when abuse occurs, what form it may be, and whom of which caused it.  Let’s start with identification, specifically physical abuse.  Physical abuse is the most used of all, and as a result is the simplest to identify.  Common signs of physical abuse consist of bruises, sprains, difficulty in walking, bruises on neck that resemble fingerprints, and spiral fractures usually occurring in the wrists, arms, and legs.  Spiral fractures are common in both children and elders, due to their bone composition being more fragile and weak than that of a typical adult.  The most regular of which appears on the wrist which can simply be caused by a fast grabbing and rotating motion.  This is normally caused when the abuser attempts to gain immediate control of the victim with excessive force. Abuse prevention is above all, the most important step in this process, for if prevention is successful, then there is no need for the other two portions.  There are many different ways to prevent abuse, such as training, information awareness, and anger management courses.  quite possibly the most crucial portion of prevention, is learning the facts and understanding the risks.  This means that we must be entirely aware of the situation of potential victims, and have factual information that can prove potential abuse. It is up to us to report abuse, as it is reported that on average, only 1 out of 10 victims will report it themselves.  This is due to the fact that the victims fear what will occur if their abusers are exposed.  About 33% of abusers are family members, while 59% are people whom of which are judged by the family as trustworthy.  It can be difficult to identify the abuser, as there are little to no characteristics that “set them apart.”  They look and act just like us and sometimes go out of their way to appear trustworthy.  Because of this, you will more than likely have to confront the potential victim directly.  This process can be dreadful and typically painful for the victim, as they likely fear what their abuser will do if they are exposed.  To start, ensure that you have a factual basis to form your reason for confronting the victim.  This can consist of but is not limited to: abrasions, flinching when being addressed, a look of fear when spoken to by a caretaker/guardian, and complaint of pain and difficulty walking.  Always have a valid reason for addressing the potential victim, and ensure them that everything they say to you is confidential and will not reach their abuser.  If the victim confesses to whom their abuser is, and the actions he or she has done, it becomes your responsibility to contact authorities, or a legal entity that can grant the victim permanent safety. With all of these steps followed correctly, and the actions taken properly, then we may one day live in a world with no abuse.  However, we currently live in a world riddled with abuse of which must be brought to an immediate end.  It is up to all of us to identify, prevent, and take action against all forms of abuse.  Take the first step, and make an impact in your healthcare facility with MedTrainer, offering multiple courses on everything discussed in this post.  Contact us today for your free demo, and begin the process in bringing abuse to a halt.