Senior Beat
by Carol Higgins Taylor
Special to The Weekly
Elder abuse is in Maine. Every year, 33,000 elderly Mainers are abused or taken advantage of,
usually by a trusted family member.
One day a year, June 15, is devoted to elder abuse awareness. But this day, known as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, should be every day. Each day that a senior is abused is one day too many.
Seniors often will consider that they “have been taken advantage of” more than been abused but
in reality it is the same thing. And for seniors who have experienced or are currently experiencing abuse, the fears of reporting it and actually talking about it are vast and varied.
The senior doesn’t want a family member, who also may be a caregiver, to go to jail. Or some
seniors have no one else to care for them and are fearful that if the family member leaves, they will have to go to a nursing home. Many are embarrassed that their loved ones could do such a thing.
Elder abuse includes physical, sexual, emotional and financial abuse and neglect. Sometimes
elder abuse is domestic violence grown old. Latest reports show that 86 percent of the cases are at the hands of a family member who is exploiting and abusing older people for personal own gain.
Some of the risk factors for elder abuse include dementia, social isolation, poor physical health
which increases vulnerability, and mental health or substance abuse issues.
Here are some red flags of elder abuse:
• Sudden changes in the elder’s appearance, such as poor hygiene, improper clothing for the weather, sunken eyes, bedsores, loss of weight.
• Sudden changes in the elder’s personality; increased levels of anxiety, fearfulness and-or
depression.
• Social isolation or the elder not allowed visitors.
• Visible injury that has not been cared for or cannot be explained with a realistic explanation.
• Sudden loss of ability to meet financial obligations.
• Unexplained withdrawal from normal activities, a sudden change in alertness may be indicators
of emotional abuse.
There are some things you can do to protect yourself and your assets and independence. Always talk to a lawyer before making major, possibly life changing decisions, especially in the
following scenarios:
• Don’t let anyone persuade you or pressure you into signing away your home, even if this person promises you that you can live there for the rest of your life.
• Be very careful of giving anyone access to your credit card or your check book. There are many cases where this is perfectly fine and works out to the senior’s advantage because the family member can do the shopping or pay the bills. But when it goes wrong, it can be devastating.
• Don’t let anyone pressure you or persuade you to sign legal papers without talking to a lawyer.
This is for both party’s protection. Legal papers include co-signing on a loan, or signing a Power of Attorney. Be wary if someone balks at getting an attorney involved. Good intentions stand up to scrutiny.
If someone has taken advantage of you or if you need help, call Legal Services for the Elderly at
800-750-5353 for free and confidential legal help. Or go to mainelse.org.
If you suspect that a senior you know is being abused, call Adult Protective Services at 800-
624-8404. All calls are confidential. Don’t wait to make that call. You could be a senior’s only chance of safety.
To learn more about elder abuse, visit the Maine Council for Elder Abuse Prevention website at
elderabuseprevention.info.
We Mainers like to mind our own business. Don’t let that stand in your way of protecting a senior.
Carol Higgins Taylor is an advocate for seniors and owns a public relations firm in Bangor. For information, email her at 4chtaylor@gmail.com.