When The Caregiver No Longer Cares: Elder Abuse | August 23, 2010

By Rita Mary Dichele According to the National Center on Elder Abuse approximately 1 to 2 million Americans age 65 or older have been subjected to mistreatment, neglect, injury, and exploitation.  Essentially, elder abuse happens quite frequently in non-institutional settings that are familiar environments such as the elder’s own home or a family member’s home. Sadly enough, a great deal of elder abuse is inflicted by a significant person in the elder’s life, the caregiver.   It is difficult to pinpoint the frequency of the abuse since many cases go unreported.  Many elders are reluctant to let others know that they are being abused because they feel shame and perhaps even embarrassment that their caregiver is treating them...