OHIO — According to the National Council on Aging, approximately 5 million older Americans are abused each year.
Signs of abuse include:
- Lack of basic hygiene, adequate food and clean clothing
- A cluttered home
- Untreated bed sores or a person who is confined to their bed
- Unexplained fractures, bruises or sores
- A caregiver being verbally aggressive and/or trying to control an older person’s finances
The World Health Organization reports one in six people over the age of 60 will experience some form of abuse, but just 4% of the incidents actually get reported. While some signs are obvious, others can be subtle. Signs of neglect can range from bad hygiene to a caregiver trying to control their finances.
Scammers are constantly targeting seniors. The scams can be anywhere from an IRS scam, asking for a social security number to someone asking for full payment for a poor home repair job.
In 2021 the FBI reported over 92,000 older victims of fraud, which resulted in a loss of $1.7 billion. This was a 74% increase from 2020. The Better Business Bureau said the best thing you can do to help seniors this week is say something if you see something and check on anyone older who you know.
