Do you ever feel like your elderly loved one — an aging parent, perhaps — is simply more frail than they used to be? You can’t put your finger on a specific issue or a disorder, but you know what you see. They appear frail and at a high risk for injury. You worry about things that didn’t seem like a big deal before, such as a simple fall in the kitchen.
You’re not alone, and you’re not wrong. Scientists who studied this issue found that frailty is a real issue for the elderly, and it happens because of multiple “systems failures.” They said that these had a bigger impact than age, disease or other specific issues.
For instance, the data pointed out that seniors tend to have at least three systems that are functioning at an abnormal level, if not more. This was true for those deemed to be “frail,” with over 50% of them experiencing this issue. For younger adults, only 25 percent had three or more abnormal systems. The same was true for a mere 16% of those deemed “non-frail.”
Different specific issues they found included the deterioration of fine motor skills, inflammation and anemia.
All of this information shows you why elder abuse is so very dangerous. Even “minor” abuse can end up being fatal. The elderly, in their frail condition, suffer far more from injuries and physical issues that younger, stronger adults would recover from.
If you think that your loved one is being abused, then, it is very important to understand your legal rights and to act quickly.
