subject: How to Discover Elder Abuse by Hiring a Private Investigator [print this page] How to Discover Elder Abuse by Hiring a Private Investigator
In recent years, more light has been shed on the increasing problem of elder abuse in America. Elder abuse is the overall term for different types of harm deliberately caused to older adults. While many studies vary in their findings, statistics show that about 10 percent of the elderly population in America (defined as 60 and older) has suffered some kind of abuse in the past year. More than one-third of all occurrences take place in California, Pennsylvania, Florida and New York, while Alaska has the fewest reported incidents of elder abuse.
The types of elder abuse can differ, from physical and emotional abuse to financial exploitation, sexual abuse and neglect. In each type, however, the use of power and control over an individual is the common denominator.
Warning signs
While it may be hard to tell if an older person is being harmed, some abused people may come forward with problems. In many instances, though, the warning signs may not be as straightforward and may include withdrawal from regular activities, worry and sadness, not having any money (especially in financial exploitation cases), obvious physical indicators of abuse, putting off medical appointments and dread of making decisions.
If you suspect someone close to you is being abused, you can look into strategies to look into the situation by getting in contact with authorities or hiring a private investigator.
Hiring an investigator to look into elder abuse
If you have an older family member who is in the service of a retirement or nursing home, it may be unsettling to realize that they may be the victims of abuse by a caregiver, especially if that loved one is not residing close to you. If for any reason you think your loved one is a recipient of elder abuse, it can be fairly easy to employ the service of a private investigator to look into any potential problems.
As pointed out above, victims of maltreatment may not often be forthcoming with details of alleged abuse and may even defend their abusers. If you are unable to look into any probable problems on your own, private investigators have years of experience getting to the bottom of problems such as these, whether it is a pre-emptive look into a care facility or following up on accusations you may have about a loved one.
Using the services of an investigator can help provide you with peace of mind with the knowledge that your loved one's abuser will not get away with committing elder abuse. Typically, elder abuse is a domestic crime like the majority of other kinds of maltreatment, but if the abuse is any type of financial exploitation you can seek out the services of a financial or fraud investigator.
While it may seem impossible and upsetting that someone may be harming an elderly loved one, hiring a private investigator to look into any possible criminal activity can provide peace of mind in knowing that your loved one can feel secure again.
Need to hire a private investigator? Search PInow.com's trusted network of local, pre-screened private investigators at http://www.PInow.com.
