Elderly abuse is caused by number of factors, but one of the most common factors has to do with caretakers who are unable or unwilling to take care of an elderly love one. Even in families where there’s a lot of love and caring, the burden of suddenly having to take care of an extra person can create resentment, frustration, and eventually, in some situations, these feelings can lead to an abusive or neglectful relationship.

Some families feel as though they have no where to turn when they need help with an elderly loved one, and this feeling of entrapment can cause relationship breakdowns that can cause a caregiver to lash out. In cases where an elderly love one needs a lot of assistance or a lot of care, and in cases where a family relationship is already marked with strife, a good local nursing home or elder care facility can help prevent elder abuse in a number of ways:

1) By providing closer care. No matter how well-intentioned a family is in caring for an elderly loved one, most families do not have the organization, the staffing, or the presence required to prevent accidents such as slip and fall accidents, broken hips, and other accidents. A good local nursing home can provide around-the-clock care and ensures fewer accident opportunities. Closer care can also help prevent accidents caused by negligence.

2) By allowing family members to take breaks. In cases where abuse takes place between a caregiver and an elderly victim, stress and frustration on the part of the caregiver is often a key contributor to the abuse. Because local nursing homes are able to spread out duties over several staff members, each individual staff member is not stressed, and this allows them to provide good care and patience as well as understanding. In turn, the loved one’s family is allowed to have a break from care giving, which allows visits to be loving and calm.

3) By providing medial care. A local nursing home can provide medical attention, emergency attention, and medical care not accessible in most private homes. In the event of a sudden accident, such as a heart attack, spinal cord injury, broken bone, or other emergency requiring immediate care, family members may not know what to do to take care of an elderly loved one. In contrast, qualified staff at a good local nursing home often do have the medical training to react quickly. This can help ensure that an elderly loved one does not suffer from negligence or other problems that can result from tardy medical care. Plus, trained staff at local nursing homes can often spot signs of abuse promptly and can react quickly to stop abuse.

4) A local nursing home provides a peer group for an elderly loved one. In many cases, elder abuse occurs and continues because an elderly person is isolated. When an elderly person is cared for in a private home by family members or other caretakers, that elderly person may not often leave the house or spend time with friends outside of the home. This can allow abuse to occur and to go undetected for a long time. In contrast, elderly patients at good local nursing homes often take part in groups, activities, and are given the opportunity to socialize with other members of the nursing home community. This helps ensure a more active life that can also help prevent abuse.