The State of Elderly Care in America

By 2050, more than 32 million people in the United States will be over age 80. But how many of them will receive the care they need?

Health Concerns

3 out of 4 Americans over the age of 65 have to worry about illnesses like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer or chronic respiratory diseases
Falls are the most frequent cause of trauma-related injury and hospital admissions
The annual medical cost of calls in the U.S. is estimated at $30 billion

Under Compensated Help

In the U.S., approximately 42 million people are unpaid caregivers

Almost 2 out of 3 of these are women
These caregivers provide a service with an economic value estimated at $350 billion/year

Elder Abuse

Many patients in the elder care industry receive abuse from the caretakers

In the United States, more than half a million cases of elder abuse are reported every year
Millions more cases go unreported
Elder abuse usually takes place where the victim lives
90% of abusers are family members

Forms of Abuse

Physical or sexual abuse
Includes the misuse of drugs and restraints
Emotional abuse
Includes humiliation tactics, intimidation, habitual blaming and isolation
Neglect or abandonment
Includes being inattentive to needs or even total absence
Financial exploitation
Misusing credit cards and personal checks
Healthcare fraud

Charging for healthcare not being provided
A 2000 study of 2,000 nursing home residents found that 44% claimed to have been abused in the facility
95% said that they had been neglected or seen another resident neglected

Changes in personality or behavior of the elder
Unexplained injuries, especially if they appear symmetrically on both sides of the body
Broken eyeglasses or frames
Unusual weight change
Suspicious changes in wills or power of attorney
Sudden changes in elder’s financial standing

If you suspect abuse, report it

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