Physical vulnerability of a person has always been a reason for abuse. Elderly people are frequently neglected by their caregivers either at their homes or at long-term care facilities. The elderly who cannot manage a household on their own depend on their family but do not always receive an expected care. The state of elderly people strongly differs even throughout the Western world. Elderly citizens do not always have a deserving pension or considerable social subsidies here, not even to talk about the developing nations. For this reason, abuse of the elderly is referred to as a global issue.
Physical abuse and neglect not only deprive the elderly of a normal living but also pose a threat to their life. Victims report about a wide range of injuries inflicted by caregivers, from scratches and bruises to broken bones. At this age, it is more and more difficult to recover from injuries so that inadmissible behavior with the elderly may have lethal consequences.
Emotional abuse of the elderly happens, perhaps, even more frequently than physical. Being a burden to younger people, the elderly may face anger and indignation of the children. Due to poor physical and mental health, older people are not treated as fully-fledged family members so it can damage their dignity. Their opinion is never asked and all decisions are taken without them.
Financial abuse of senior citizens frequently happens due to the low pensions. While facing a similar financial tension as earlier, the elderly can hardly make both ends meet. The situation is likely to exacerbate as the population of elderly people is continually growing.