Elder Emotional Abuse

What Is Emotional Elder Abuse?

Emotional elder abuse, sometimes called psychological abuse, is behavior that intentionally causes an older person fear, distress, humiliation, or pain.

Abuse can happen in a nursing home, assisted living facility, private care home, or anywhere an older adult depends on someone else for care.

Examples of elder emotional abuse may include:

• Deliberately isolating her
• Concealing belongings or assistive devices
• Humiliating or ridiculing her
• Ignoring her calls for help
• Insulting or belittling her
• Preventing visits or phone calls
• Threatening or intimidating her
• Treating her like a child
• Yelling or screaming

Approximately 4.6% of older adults say they have been victims of elder emotional abuse, per the American Journal of Public Health.

Emotional elder abuse can occur on its own or alongside other types of harm, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, and neglect.

The caring team at Her Case Matters is here to support women who are experiencing abuse. We may be able to help your family fight for justice by filing a legal claim.

Get your free case review now to learn whether you can seek accountability for elder emotional abuse.

Types of Elder Emotional Abuse

Psychological and emotional elder abuse aren’t always obvious. It’s important for an older woman’s family to realize that there are many forms of emotional abuse, from verbal threats to isolation and more.

By learning about common types of elder emotional abuse and their signs, you’ll be better prepared to step in and help protect an older person that you love.

Isolation and Controlling Behavior

Elder emotional abuse happens when a caregiver or family member may try to control who an older adult sees, where she goes, and who she can speak with. Disconnecting a victim from loved ones is a way to gain greater control over her.

An abusive caregiver or partner may:

• Discourage visits from family members
• Interfere with friendships
• Intentionally humiliate the victim in front of other people
• Make it difficult for the victim to spend time alone with people she trusts

Social isolation can cause an older woman to become more dependent on the person who is harming her. It also makes abuse harder to discover because she has fewer opportunities to tell someone what is happening.

Nonverbal Elder Emotional Abuse

Not all instances of elder emotional abuse involve words. Actions can be emotionally or psychologically abusive if they serve to hurt, scare, or intimidate a victim, even though they stop short of physical violence.

Nonverbal abuse of older people may involve:

• Giving her the silent treatment and ignoring her, possibly for days at a time
• Glaring or making threatening gestures
• Hiding her belongings so she questions her own memory
• Intentionally making her wait for help with daily activities

These nonverbal acts can create an environment where your loved one feels constantly afraid of upsetting someone whom she relies on for care.

Verbal Elder Emotional Abuse

In verbal emotional elder abuse, someone uses words to hurt, intimidate, or control an older person. Even comments that seem like jokes can be harmful when they’re intended to shame, frighten, or belittle the victim.

Examples of verbal elder abuse include:

• Blaming her for things beyond her control
• Insulting or yelling at her
• Repeatedly telling her she’s a burden
• Threatening her with abandonment or other mistreatment

Your older loved one may also be subjected to gaslighting, a form of emotional abuse where the victim is told she is losing her memory or sanity. This type of manipulation can make it harder for someone to seek help.

Warning Signs of Emotional Abuse in Elderly Women

Emotional elder abuse may not cause visible injuries, so it’s vital to pay attention to any changes in your loved one.

The following may be signs of emotional abuse in elderly women:

• Anxiety or agitation
• Avoiding eye contact when someone is present
• Becoming unusually quiet or withdrawn
• Changes in sleeping or eating habits
• Fear of a particular caregiver
• Increased isolation
• Loss of confidence or self-esteem
• Personality or mood changes
• Reluctance to speak openly
• Rocking or other repetitive behaviors
• Self-neglect
• Sudden sadness or depression

Dementia, illness, grief, medications, and other health concerns can also affect an older adult’s behavior. However, if you notice a pattern of behavioral changes or that your loved one seems uncomfortable around a specific person, you should take those concerns seriously.

Who Might Emotionally Abuse an Older Adult?

While a stranger may harass an older woman, elder emotional abuse is more likely to be committed by someone the victim knows. Often, it’s someone who lives with her or provides essential care.

People who may commit emotional elder abuse include:

• Adult children
• Assisted living or nursing home staff
• Friends or acquaintances
• In-home caregivers
• Spouses or partners
• Other family members

In a survey of nursing home staff members, 40% admitted to emotionally or psychologically abusing residents at least once in the previous year, according to Cureus.

An older loved one may be afraid to tell you about what’s going on, especially if she relies on the person who mistreats her for daily needs or companionship. That makes it especially important to look out for any changes in her behavior or emotional state.

Effects of Emotional Abuse on Elderly People

Repeated humiliation, harassment, threats, or isolation can take away an older adult’s sense of safety and independence. A victim may change her behavior and feel lasting effects on her physical and mental health.

The impact of emotional abuse on elderly women may include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Emotional distress
• Fear
• Self-doubt
• Self-neglect
• Shame
• Withdrawal

Elder emotional abuse can cause a woman to feel powerless to ask for help. She may worry that no one will believe her, that speaking up will make the mistreatment worse, or that she will lose the care she depends on.

When speaking with your loved one, be sensitive to her concerns and fears. Listen to what she has to say without judgment and make a plan to keep her safe moving forward.

Elder Emotional Abuse Risk Factors

Any older adult can experience elder emotional abuse. However, certain factors can make a woman more vulnerable and leave her with fewer opportunities to seek help.

When families are aware of these risk factors, they can be better prepared to recognize situations where an older adult needs support.

Risk factors for elder emotional abuse include:

• Dementia or another cognitive impairment
• Difficulty communicating
• Heavy dependence on a caregiver
• Limited mobility
• Social isolation

A caregiver’s stress levels may also contribute to difficult or unhealthy interactions. However, feeling overwhelmed never makes yelling, intimidation, humiliation, or other forms of emotional elder abuse acceptable.

What Should You Do If You Suspect Elder Emotional Abuse?

You don’t need to be certain that your loved one is experiencing elder emotional abuse before taking steps to keep her safe. If something feels wrong, there are simple ways to learn more while helping your loved one feel supported.

Take these steps if you suspect emotional elder abuse:

1. Write down what you’ve observed. Keep track of any concerning statements, behavioral changes, dates, or interactions with caregivers, noting dates and times.
2. Find a safe moment to talk. Speak with your loved one privately if possible. Listen closely to what she has to say and avoid pressuring her for details.
3. Consider your loved one’s safety. If you believe she is in immediate danger, call 911.
4. Report suspected abuse. Authorities in your state may be able to address your loved one’s situation.
5. Ask for help. A doctor, social worker, advocate, or elder abuse attorney can help you determine what to do next.

Let your loved one know that she doesn’t have to face abuse alone. You can make a difference by listening to her story, offering your support, and telling her she deserves to feel safe.

How to Report Emotional Abuse of Elderly Women

You may be able to protect your loved one by reporting abuse to the appropriate authorities. The best option depends on where she lives and who may be mistreating her.

Consider reporting elder emotional abuse to the following:

• Adult Protective Services (APS): A state or local APS agency can investigate emotional abuse or self-neglect in a variety of settings, including private homes.
• Long-term care ombudsmen: Your state’s long-term care ombudsmen can look into concerns involving the emotional and psychological well-being of residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
• Nursing home administration: In cases where a fellow resident or staff member is mistreating your loved one, the administrators at a nursing home or long-term care facility may be able to help.
• Police: If there is an emergency or a threat of physical violence, reach out to law enforcement immediately.
• Her Case Matters: If your loved one is a victim of elder emotional abuse, contact us to learn if you have legal options.

“Many families worry that taking legal action will lead to retaliation, but the law protects residents from this kind of behavior. If you file a nursing home lawsuit or report suspected neglect, the facility is legally prohibited from punishing or isolating your loved one in response.”
— Ricky LeBlanc, elder abuse lawyer

You don’t have to have all the details of your loved one’s situation before you report elder emotional abuse. Local agencies can help determine what happened and what steps you may need to take to protect the older adult.

Can You Take Legal Action for Elder Emotional Abuse?

Yes, your family may have legal options when emotional elder abuse causes harm to someone you love. An elder abuse lawyer can listen to the circumstances of the case, gather evidence, and help to pursue a legal claim.

Depending on the case, taking action may involve holding a caregiver or facility accountable for negligence, abuse, or financial exploitation. A successful lawsuit can provide compensation for your loved one’s care and related expenses.

Get a free case review now to find out if your family can work with a nursing home abuse lawyer to seek accountability and compensation for elder emotional abuse.

Help Her Feel Safe Again After Elder Emotional Abuse

Emotional elder abuse may not involve physical injuries. However, your loved one deserves to feel safe, whether she is living at home or in a long-term care facility.

If you are concerned that a woman you love has become frightened, withdrawn, or is behaving unlike herself, listening to your instincts can be an important first step.

At Her Case Matters, we connect eligible families with experienced elder abuse attorneys who can listen to your concerns, investigate what happened, and guide you through the legal process.

Contact us for a free case review or call (877) 640-6101 to get support and understand your legal options.