Shelters Open to Protect Victims of Elder Abuse
This week, USA Today reported on the rise of shelters for elder abuse victims. As the elderly population increases rapidly and the economy forces more and more elderly Americans to live with family members, abuse by family members has grown. These shelters provide refuge for victims of abuse by family members.
With the opening of a long-term care facility for victims of abuse at the Cedar Village Retirement Home in Ohio, there are now six elder abuse shelters in the country. The oldest, the Weinberg Center for Elder Abuse Prevention in New York City, opened just seven years ago. All of the abuse shelters are located in nursing homes run by non-profit organizations.
The rise of these shelters is a response to the growing problem of elder abuse across the country. Elder abuse can take many forms: physical, mental, and financial. Financial abuse has now become the most common form of elder abuse, particularly among family members and other caregivers who exploit the trust of elderly patients and have them turn over money and assets.
