Physical abuse and neglect of the elderly: assessment and intervention.

With the aging of the population in the United States, elder abuse is now recognized as a significant problem. However, health care providers lack knowledge regarding detection, reporting, and appropriate interventions in cases of suspected or substantiated abuse. Whereas six types of elder abuse are identified in the literature, physical abuse and neglect are thought to be the most prevalent. Nurses in acute care and outpatient settings are in an ideal position to detect physical abuse and neglect. To act as patient advocates, they must have increased awareness of the problem, as well as pertinent knowledge and skills to assess and intervene appropriately in cases of elder abuse.