Claiming Compensation for Elder Abuse

Types of Elder Abuse

Elder Abuse is a single or repeated act, occurring in any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person. Unfortunately this comes in many forms, such as:

Neglect

Neglect is the failure of caregivers to carry out their responsibilities to provide needed care. Neglect can be Active or Passive.

“Active” neglect refers to intentional behaviour, such as the caregiver intentionally withholds care or necessities. Active neglect is usually motivated by financial gain (e.g. the caregiver stands to inherit) or reflect personal conflicts.

“Passive” neglect is where the caregiver is unable to fulfil their responsibilities as a result of illness, disability, stress, ignorance, lack of maturity, or lack of resources.

Physical Abuse

This is any physical force or violence that leads to injury, pain or impairment.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is any form of unwanted sexually motivated contact, including molestation, rape, and sexual acts with someone who lacks the mental capacity to consent.

Domestic Violence

This is an intensifying pattern of violence or intimidation used by an intimate partner (e.g. a husband, wife or partner) to gain power and control.

Psychological Abuse

This is the calculated infliction of mental or emotional distress made by threat or other verbal assaults, and sometimes non-verbal conduct.

Financial Abuse

This comes in many forms, including:

• Taking money or property
• Forging an older person’s signature
• Getting an older person to sign important documents (such as a deed, Will, or Power of Attorney) through trickery, intimidation, or undue influence
• Using the older person’s property or possessions without permission
• Promising lifelong care in exchange for money or property and not providing the promised care
  Confidence crimes (“cons”). These are the use of deception to gain victims’ confidence
• Scams e.g. fraudulent or deceptive acts
• Fraud is the use of deception, trickery, false pretence, or dishonest acts or statements for financial gain
• Telemarketing scams. Perpetrators call victims and use deception, scare tactics, or exaggerated claims to get them to send money. They may also make charges against victims’ credit cards without authorisation.