Elderly Abuse

I have witnessed several different types of abuse while working in nursing homes. When you here about elderly abuse the first thing that comes to your mind is physical abuse. Unfortunately abuse can take many forms. College of Nurses of Ontario (2005) ackowleges six types of abuse and they include:

• Physical abuse - is when someone strikes a client or causes discomfort
• Oral abuse - is when the care giver is shouting at, or insulting a client
• Emotional abuse- could be as simple as mistreating a family member
• Sexual abuse - can be inappropriate touching
• Financial abuse - is to accept money from a client
• Neglect

In all that I have witnessed neglect is one of the most common types of abuse. I believe this is related to the nursing shortages in our Provence, and the management of some of the nursing homes. I have been put in situations where I have witnessed abuse and had to intervene. There are many steps to the reporting of a staff member when it involves the abuse of a client, you need to follow the protocol of your employer and use the guidance of the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). The CNO (2002) states that:

• As Nurses we are accountable for reporting to the appropriate authority any
  health team member or colleague whose actions or behaviors toward clients are unsafe or unprofessional, including physical, verbal, emotional, and/or financial abuse; and reporting sexual abuse of a client by a regulated health professional to the appropriate regulatory college as legislated by the Regulated Health Professions Act.

You can find more information of the Regulated Health Professions Act at http://www.cno.org/docs/ih/42007_misconduct.pdf