It’s not an infrequent news subject. Elder abuse continues to be a large issue in our country. 7.5% of Canadian seniors have been victimized by elder abuse – this number represents almost 700,000 of our parents, grandparents, and neighbours. Often times, family members remove their family from long-term living residences because of the fear of abuse, however, caregiving relatives oftentimes fail their loved ones as well.
The Wolrd Health Organization reported that the major risk factors for elder abuse are shared living conditions. “As more women enter the workforce and have less spare time, caring for older relatives becomes a greater burden, increasing the risk of abuse,” it says. The sudden lack of financial freedom and stressed caring conditions can all lead to a caregiver feeling isolated and resentful to their loved ones. For the aging parent, they too can feel separated from family members and friends – and a lack of support for them as well as their caregiver is a huge risk factor as well.
How can family engagement put an end to elder abuse?
There are many reasons why family engagement can be a huge eye-opener to the possibility of elder abuse and prevent the risk factors from being possible at all. When the entire family is involved in the care of their loved one, the stress put on one person’s shoulders is suddenly lifted. Huge care decisions are no longer only the worries of the caregiver and can be discussed and delegated to more than one person.
For the loved one in need of care, they have a means of keeping communication with their friends and family without feeling as if they are fragile or weak. A strong support network means your aging or ill parent or family member feels loved and appreciative of the amount of time and effort everyone they love is committing to their care.
When one person is the sole caregiver, other family members who are not kept up to date with what is happening each day can often be led to believe that their help is not required or that everything is going smoothly. When the caregiver is held accountable to report their decisions and discuss what is happening – and communication remains open – then there is far less of a chance that abuse of any form can go unnoticed.
eFamily Room is aiding in the engagement of all family members in the caregiving duties of their loved ones. Interested in learning more about our platform and finding out if it’s the right choice for your family, reach out for a conversation or a free trial today.
