Self-neglect is a hidden
problem and “accounts for more calls to adult protective services agencies
nationwide than any other form of elder abuse” (Span, 2018). It is a form of
self-inflicted elder abuse that threatens health and safety for vulnerable
older adults. According to elder abuse specialist Dr. XinQui Dong of Rush Institute
for Healthy Aging in Chicago, it is incredibly dangerous.
According to Dr.
Dong, practitioners can assess and evaluate self-neglect in older adults using psychometrically-tested
tools, the Chicago Self-Neglect Scale, and/or the Texas Self-Neglect Scale. Because
self-neglect may not be detected in a healthcare setting, both require in-home
evaluations. Primary domains include “hoarding, personal hygiene, house needing
repairs, unsanitary conditions, inadequate utilities, living conditions,
financial status, physical/medical status, mental status, and social interaction/support”
(Dong, 2017). Another evaluative tool used in practice is the Short-Form Elder Self-Neglect Assessment (SF-ESNA). The SF-ESNA assessment domains include physical, psychosocial, environmental, and personal
living conditions (Baruth and Lapid, 2017).
Washington State Department
of Social and Health Services has an informative website to help understand the
complexities of self-neglect and community resources including the definition
of self-neglect, common characteristics, signs to look for, what to do, and
prevention strategies. During Elder Abuse month, I recommend learning more about self-neglect and prevention strategies to address reducing it among older adults.
Resources:
Baruth, J.M., & Lapid,
M.I. (2017). Capacity determinations and elder self-neglect. Letter to the
editor. AMA Journal of Ethics, 19(10):1047-1050.
doi: 10.1001/journalofethics.2017.19.10.corr2-1710. Retrieved from https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/sites/journalofethics.ama-assn.org/files/2018-05/corr2-1710.pdf
Dong X. (2017). Elder
self-neglect: research and practice. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 12,
949–954. https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S103359.
Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5472408/pdf/cia-12-949.pdf
Span, P. (March 2, 2018).
Elder abuse: Sometimes it’s self-inflicted. The
New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/02/health/elderly-self-neglect-.html
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. Self Neglect. Retrieved on June 13, 2020
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1 comment:
There's also a lot of neglect, and abuse, coming from the very people who are supposed to be looking after elderly people: Carers!
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