The Office of the Attorney General William Tong

Headshot of Attorney General William Tong
 

SENIOR ALERT

SENIOR NEWS FOCUS ON ELDER ABUSE

 

The Prudence Crandall Center for Women in New Britain is alerting the public to the signs of abuse and mistreatment of the elderly.

The several classifications of elder abuse are outlined by the center as the following:

  • Passive Neglect -- The unintentional failure to fulfill a caretaking obligation.
  • Active Neglect -- The intentional failure to fulfill caretaking obligations.
  • Psychological Abuse -- The infliction of mental anguish, including name-calling and ignoring the senior, and behavior that is demeaning, insulting, and humiliating to the senior.
  • Material & Financial Abuse -- The illegal or unethical exploitation of funds, property or other assets of an older person for personal gain.
  • Physical Abuse -- The infliction of physical pain, including pushing, shoving, restraining, slapping and punching.

Some abuse is rooted in a history of abuse that began in earlier years. For example, a family may have a history of spousal abuse that continues into later years. Adults who were abused as children may themselves become abusive to their aging parents.

Other contributing factors include isolation, dependency and misuse of authority, stereotypes of the elderly as frail, incompetent or powerless, lack of understanding of the aging process, substance abuse, and mental, emotional or financial stress.

For information or support, contact the Prudence Crandall Center for Women at 860-747-2030 or its 24-hour crisis hotline at 860-225-6357. All services are free and confidential. You may also call the State Department of Social Services Elder Protective Services Division at 800-443-9946. Information for this report was submitted by the Prudence Crandall Center for Women as part of its campaign to educate the public on abuse and treatment of the elderly.