Elder Abuse occurs when a person in a position of authority or trust harms a senior citizen.

 It could be a neighbour, a family friend, caregiver, and all too often a family member.

 Elder Abuse can be real or threatened use of physical force, emotional or psychological

abuse, or the intentional mismanagement of their finances.

Victims of Elder Abuse often do not speak out for many reasons; they feel ashamed of

their mistreatment by a family member, they are embarrassed of the situation they find

themselves in, they are unaware of their rights, and sometimes they simply have no one

 else in their lives to look after them.  Elder Abuse is a chronic problem in our society

that transcends all cultural, economic and social boundaries. It robs people of their

dignity and quality of life. In many cases it results in devastating financial loss, physical

or psychological harm of varying degrees, and in some cases even violent death to the

victim.

If you know a senior who is being victimized, and they are simply trying to survive in it

as opposed to improving their life, you may be the only hope they have. They may not

 want you to contact authorities, but this could be the best thing you could ever do for

them.