FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY

San Francisco St. Butuan City 8600, Region XIII Caraga,

Philippines
Nursing Program

Name: Novah A. Ladroma Date: Dec. 21, 2022

Section: N31 Clinical Instructor: Mrs.Elicano

Role of the Geriatric Nurse: Detecting Abuse and Negligence in Elderly

Patients

Although it can happen anywhere, elder abuse is most common in community settings.
Elderly people may endure one form of abuse or multiple forms of abuse at once.
Recognizing and addressing abuse on an institutional and cultural level is also crucial. In
order to ensure that the right actions are done, nurses have a duty to recognize situations
where abuse may be occurring and to evaluate the context. Knowing the obstacles to
disclosure and making sure that the older person's voice is given priority in case
management are also crucial. By doing this, nurses can protect senior citizens by
intervening early and preventing future problems. It is important to protect elderly people
from abuse in populations around the world, and nurses are critical experts who can spot
suspected abuse instances and initiate effective interventions (Phelan A., 2009).

I chose this topic because it is crucial for nurses to comprehend the phenomena.
Additionally, elderly people are more susceptible to abuse and neglect, which has a
significant influence on their quality of life. Elder abuse must be appropriately identified
and diagnosed in the beginning so that quick action can be done to intervene before the
patient experiences any further mistreatment. Physical abuse, psychological/emotional
abuse, financial/material abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect are other categories for elder
abuse. In certain jurisdictions, self-neglect qualifies as elder abuse whereas it does not in
others. Studies that have concentrated on older adults with cognitive problems have found
that elder abuse is far more common, and the WHO reports that two out of every three
people with dementia have experienced abuse.

Three elements, including facility, resident, and staff factors, as well as gender, have
been identified as risks in certain studies that have looked into abuse in residential care.
Elder abuse detection necessitates a number of essential presumptions. As a result, nurses
need to be aware of the circumstances that could lead to detection. Ageism is a form of
discrimination that is defined as the systematic stereotyping of the elderly, the denial of
any unique or diverse attributes, and the attribution of general characteristics to the
elderly. The method I choose is Qualitative Research since it introduces the details and the
depth to understand their full implications about elderly abuse and neglect. Because it
enables us to comprehend the significance of people's lived experiences—in this case, the
elderly patients' stories of abuse and neglect—the design is phenomenological.
References:

Phelan A. Elder abuse and neglect: the nurse’s responsibility in care of the older person. Int
J Older People Nurs. 2009;4(2):115–119.

Mowlam A, Tennant R, Dixon J, McCreadie C. UK Study of Abuse and Neglect of Older

People: Qualitative Findings. London: King’s College London and the National Centre for
Social Research; 2007.