By Bridgett Skelton, RN, BSN, CMC, CACTS | Skelton Care Management & Consulting
For World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, June 15
Every year on June 15, communities around the world pause to acknowledge a painful reality: millions of older adults are experiencing abuse, neglect, or exploitation — often at the hands of people they trust, and often in silence.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day exists to break that silence. As someone who works daily alongside families navigating the complexities of aging and care, I think about this issue every time I step into a client’s home and every time I sit across from a family trying to make the right decision for someone they love.
Today, I want to share what elder abuse actually looks like, why it so often goes undetected, and what families and caregivers can do to help protect the seniors in their lives.
What Is Elder Abuse?
Elder abuse is broadly defined as any knowing, intentional, or negligent act by a caregiver or any other person that causes harm or serious risk of harm to a vulnerable adult. It is far more common than most families realize.
Perhaps most troubling: many incidents are never reported. The reasons are complex: fear, shame, dependence on the abuser, cognitive decline, or simply not knowing that what is happening has a name and is wrong.
The 7 Types of Elder Abuse
Elder abuse takes many forms, and recognizing them is the first step to prevention and intervention.
1. Physical Abuse
The use of physical force that results in bodily injury, physical pain, or impairment. This includes hitting, slapping, pushing, restraining, or inappropriate use of medication to subdue a person.
2. Emotional or Psychological Abuse
Inflicting mental anguish through verbal or nonverbal acts — humiliation, threats, isolation, intimidation, or infantilizing an older adult. Because it leaves no visible marks, emotional abuse is often the hardest to identify from the outside.
3. Sexual Abuse
Non-consensual sexual contact of any kind. Older adults with dementia or cognitive impairment are particularly vulnerable, as they may not be able to communicate what has happened.
4. Financial Exploitation
The illegal or improper use of an older adult’s funds, property, or assets. This can range from outright theft to forged signatures, fraudulent financial arrangements, or pressuring an elder to change a will or sign over power of attorney under duress.
Financial exploitation is one of the most prevalent forms of elder abuse — and one of the most difficult to detect because it often involves someone the family trusts.
5. Neglect
The failure — by a caregiver or responsible party — to provide an older adult with the necessities of life: food, water, shelter, clothing, hygiene, or medical care. Neglect can be willful or the result of caregiver burnout, and it accounts for a significant portion of reported elder abuse cases.
6. Abandonment
The desertion of an older adult by a person who has assumed responsibility for their care. This can happen in a care facility, in a hospital, or in the community.
7. Self-Neglect
When an older adult fails to meet their own basic needs — often due to cognitive decline, depression, or physical limitations — in a way that threatens their health or safety. While technically distinct from interpersonal abuse, it is one of the most commonly reported concerns to Adult Protective Services.
Warning Signs Families and Caregivers Should Know
Elder abuse does not always announce itself. Here are signs that something may be wrong:
Physical Signs
- Unexplained bruises, welts, or injuries — especially in various stages of healing
- Injuries inconsistent with the explanation given
- Sudden changes in weight or unexplained dehydration
- Poor hygiene, soiled clothing, or unchanged bed linens
- Untreated medical conditions or missed medications
Behavioral and Emotional Signs
- Withdrawal from activities or people they previously enjoyed
- Sudden changes in mood, behavior, or personality
- Fearfulness, anxiety, or agitation (particularly around certain individuals)
- Confusion or disorientation that isn’t explained by a known medical condition
- Reluctance to speak freely in front of a caregiver or family member
Financial Red Flags
- Unpaid bills despite adequate income or assets
- Sudden changes to a will, trust, or financial accounts
- Unexplained withdrawals or missing funds
- A caregiver or family member with excessive interest in the elder’s finances
- An elder who is suddenly unable to access their own money
Who Is Most at Risk?
Any older adult can be affected by elder abuse, but certain factors increase vulnerability:
- Social isolation: people who are cut off from regular contact with friends, family, or community
- Cognitive impairment, including dementia: which can affect a person’s ability to recognize or report abuse
- Physical or functional dependence on others for daily care
- History of a troubled relationship with a caregiver or family member
- Financial dependence: particularly when a family member relies on the older adult’s income or assets
This is why consistent, professional oversight of care, not just occasional check-ins, matters so much.
Why Elder Abuse So Often Goes Unreported
Even when abuse is happening, older adults may not disclose it. The reasons are deeply human:
- Fear of retaliation or being placed in a facility
- Shame or a desire to protect a family member who is the abuser
- Dependence — financial, physical, or emotional — on the person causing harm
- Cognitive limitations that prevent them from understanding or communicating what is happening
- A belief that no one will believe them, or that reporting will only make things worse
This is one reason why the people who spend the most time with an older adult — professional caregivers, home care nurses, social workers — are often in the best position to notice something is wrong. Consistency and trust matter enormously in this work.
How Professional In-Home Care Can Help Protect Seniors
Choosing in-home care for a loved one isn’t only about helping with daily tasks. The right care partner also serves as an important layer of protection and oversight.
At CaraVita Home Care, where I frequently collaborate as a care management partner, the clinical team — including registered nurses, licensed social workers, and certified geriatric care managers — doesn’t simply match a caregiver and step away. The team conducts regular supervisory visits and monitors changes in clients’ physical and emotional wellbeing. CaraVita’s clinical professionals are trained to recognize the warning signs of abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
Their social work professionals, in particular, bring expertise that goes beyond traditional home care — including the skills to identify emotional abuse, financial exploitation, and the subtler signs that something in a client’s environment has changed.
CaraVita caregivers are W-2 employees — not independent contractors. That means background checks, ongoing training through Academy at CaraVita, and direct accountability to clinical leadership.
For families with a loved one living with dementia, this oversight matters even more. CaraVita’s Dementia Life™ program is specifically designed to support the unique safety, dignity, and quality-of-life needs of individuals with memory impairment — a population that faces elevated risk of abuse due to cognitive vulnerability.
What to Do If You Suspect Elder Abuse
If you believe an older adult is being abused, neglected, or exploited, please don’t wait.
⚠ In Georgia, you can report suspected elder abuse to Adult Protective Services through the Georgia Division of Aging Services:
- Call: 1-866-552-4464 (toll-free)
- Online: aging.georgia.gov
If you believe someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
You do not need to be certain — a concern is enough to make a report. Reports can be made anonymously.
You can also speak with the older adult’s primary care physician, a social worker, or — if they receive in-home care — the care agency’s clinical team. If you have concerns about the care your loved one is receiving and want a professional assessment, reach out to us directly.
CaraVita Home Care is here to help.
If you have concerns about a loved one’s safety or wellbeing — or if you’d like to learn more about how our clinical team supports clients and families — we’re just a call away.
About the Author: Bridgett Skelton, RN, CMC, CACTS is a Certified Advanced Aging Life Care Professional and registered nurse with over 25 years of experience. She is the founder of Skelton Care Management & Consulting (skeltoncmc.com), serving Metro Atlanta families navigating the complexities of aging with dignity, compassion, and grace. As a care manager, Bridgett acts as a guide and advocate for older adults and their families — providing clinical expertise, care coordination, and the kind of informed, hands-on support that makes all the difference during life’s most challenging transitions.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering home care in Roswell, GA please contact the caring staff at CaraVita Home Care today. (770) 643-1712
