877.809.5515 www.knowingmore.com [email protected] A Client Care Module: UNDERSTANDING ABUSE & NEGLECT ©1998‐2011 May be copied for use within each physical location that purchases this inservice. Inservices For Nursing Assistants We hope you enjoy this inservice, prepared by A Client Care Module: registered nurses especially for nursing Understanding assistants like you. Abuse & Neglect After finishing this inservice, you will be able to: Discuss the Instructions for the Learner differences between abuse and neglect. If you are studying the inservice on your own, Name at least three please do the following: signs that may mean a client is being Read through all the material. You may find it useful to have a abused physically, highlighting marker nearby as you read. Highlight any information emotionally or that is new to you or that you feel is especially important. financially. If you have questions about anything you read, please ask Name at least three _________________________. signs of neglect and self-neglect. Take the quiz. Think about each statement and pick the best answer. Explain how health Check with your supervisor for the right answers. You need 8 correct care workers can to pass! help prevent abuse and neglect. Print your name, write in the date, and then sign your name. Describe the process Keep the inservice information for yourself and turn in the quiz page at your workplace for to _____________________________ no later than reporting abuse and ____________________. Show your Inservice Club Membership Card neglect. to ______________________________ so that it can be initialed. Email In the Know at [email protected] with your comments and/or suggestions for improving this inservice. THANK YOU! A Client Care Module: Understanding Abuse & Neglect AN OVERVIEW OF ABUSE & NEGLECT Inside This Inservice: Abuse and neglect are serious problems in our communities and in our institutions. People are most at risk for How Much Do You 2 abuse and neglect when they are unable Know about Abuse? to take care of themselves. Can you Understanding Child 3 name the two groups of people that are Abuse least able to care for themselves? They are children and the elderly. Understanding Elder 4 Abuse What Exactly is Abuse? Types of Abuse 5-7 Abuse is some action by a trusted individual that causes physical and/or You will learn more about the types of Neglect 8-9 emotional harm to the victim. There are abuse and neglect, including self- a number of different kinds of abuse, If You Suspect Abuse 10 neglect, throughout this inservice. including: Avoiding Abuse & 11 Physical abuse (including sexual Where Do Abuse and Neglect Neglect Charges abuse) Happen? Reporting Abuse 12 Emotional abuse Abuse and neglect happen in every Financial abuse community around the United States. Every day, there are children and elderly What Exactly is Neglect? people being abused in their own Neglect is when someone fails to do homes. The abuser is usually a family things that are necessary to meet the member, often someone with needs of a child or an elderly person. psychological problems. There are two types of neglect: Take a minute to jot down a Abuse and neglect can also happen in Passive neglect is when people don't few things you already know an institutional setting, such as a day about abuse and neglect mean to do harm. Usually, this is care center or a nursing home. The most before reading this inservice. because of ignorance--they just don't common type of mistreatment in know any better. institutions is neglect. Often, these Active neglect is when people know situations occur because the staff is better and still fail to do what is overworked, stressed out or poorly needed for the care of the child or trained. elderly person. © 2011 In the Know, Inc. www.knowingmore.com May be copied for use within each physical location that purchases this inservice from In the Know. All other copying or distribution is strictly prohibited. A Client Care Module: Understanding Abuse & Neglect Page 2 © 2011 In the Know, Inc. How Much Do You Know About Abuse? Just take a guess...then turn this page upside down to see the answers! 1. In general, 3. Most abuse 6. People who victims of abuse: occurs: suspect A. Hate their A. In nursing someone is The death rate from abusers and homes. being abused child abuse has want to report B. In orphanages. should: increased more than 40% since 1985. them. C. In people’s A. Report their suspicions, even B. Have very little homes. if they might be money. D. In Europe. C. Exaggerate the wrong. B. Talk to a lawyer. problem. 4. TRUE or FALSE C. Keep quiet D. Are related to Most victims of abuse the abuser. unless they are female. witness the abuse. 2. TRUE or FALSE 5. TRUE or FALSE D. Try to get the Disagreements Verbal abuse, such as People who commit happen in any name calling, is not abuser to stop abuse are all hurting the relationship. But, really considered alcoholics or drug victim. when it becomes abuse. addicts. abuse, one person dominates and 4. True, 5. False, 6. A A 6. False, 5. True, 4. 1. D, 2. False, 3. C, C, 3. False, 2. D, 1. controls the other person—often Facts About Abuse someone weaker. Over 2 million cases Studies show that 1 toward preventing of child abuse and out of 4 girls and 1 the problem. neglect are reported out of 6 boys will be every year in the sexually abused in The average age of United States, and at some way before elder abuse victims least one third of they turn 18. is about 78 years— them are confirmed and 75% of them are by authorities. Child abuse and women. neglect costs the In the U.S., 1,700 U.S. more than $100 By far, the majority children die every billion every year. of elder abuse year from child victims are white abuse and neglect. Less than 10% of the and are abused by Elder abuse has risen Nearly 80% of them funds spent on an adult child or more than 100% since are under three abuse and neglect spouse. 1986—and continues years of age! every year go to increase every year. A Client Care Module: Understanding Abuse & Neglect Page 3 © 2011 In the Know, Inc. Understanding Child Abuse Child abuse can happen in any type of family—small, large, rich, poor, white, black, etc. It can also happen to children of all ages. Infants and toddlers are more likely than older children to be seriously injured or killed by child abuse. Child abuse victims know their abusers Abuse to adolescents might go unrecognized, since teenagers might nearly 86% of the try to hide the problem. time: they are often family members, Most often, children are abused by their families or guardians, but friends, neighbors or there are cases of children being abused by day care workers or other babysitters. caregivers. Abused children might react by: Neglected children might react by: Saying they deserve to be Begging for or stealing food. punished. Appearing in dirty or torn Acting frightened of parents or clothing much of the time. other adults. Missing a lot of school. Getting scared when other Acting very tired all the time. children cry. Showing no emotion on their “Child abuse casts a Being very quiet or very faces. shadow the length of aggressive. Talking in a whisper or whine. a lifetime.” Sitting and staring into space. Trying to get attention by being Herbert Ward Being afraid to go home. “naughty”. Acting much older than they are. Abusing alcohol or drugs. Trying to get attention by being Taking on adult responsibilities. “naughty”. Talking about being left alone or Trying to run away from home. left “in charge” of younger Getting bad grades at school. siblings. Attempting suicide. Who Is At Risk For Child Abuse? Studies have shown Living in a family Living with parents that certain things put where the parents who are children more at risk are having unemployed or for abuse. These marriage who have serious factors include: problems. money problems. Nearly 80% of neglect Living with a Being a “special Living with a victims are neglected parent who has a needs” child, with parent who was by their parents— drug or alcohol physical and/or abused as a child. usually the mother. problem. mental disabilities. A Client Care Module: Understanding Abuse & Neglect Page 4 © 2011 In the Know, Inc. Understanding Elder Abuse Elder abuse is We can only guess Signs of Elder defined as harm at the number of Abuse done to persons elderly who are It should send up a over the age of 65 abused every year. red flag if: by someone who is The best estimate is In more than 2/3 of in a position of that there are about The client is not allowed to speak all reported cases of being trusted. 5 million cases per to you unless a elder abuse, the year, but authorities family member is abuser is a family There are two types say that only about present. member. of elder abuse. 750,000 of them are The client is Domestic elder reported. punished for abuse happens in being incontinent. the person’s home. Elders don’t always report the abuse You see family Institutional elder members abusing abuse occurs in a because they are: drugs or alcohol. nursing home or Afraid that the You hear other long term abuser will find someone threaten As many as 13% of care setting. out and be angry.