Nobody likes the thought of abuse especially when that abuse occurs to the most fragile among us - children and the elderly. Still, it happens. And the more you know about how to spot potential abuse, the better you'll be able to stop it before it goes too far.

While child abuse is terrible, abuse of the elderly is actually more common here in America because, in many cases, older people are more isolated from society than children, which makes the abuse easier to hide.

And like child abuse, most people who abuse the elderly are people that are trusted; doctors, caregivers, lawyers, spouses and relatives. In most cases the elder person who is being abused either doesn't know it, or is just powerless to stop it and just lets their suffering continue.

Types of Abuse

When people think of abuse they mainly think of physical abuse. But, sadly enough, abuse takes on many forms such as:

• Physical abuse
• Emotional abuse, which can involve verbal or psychological assaults
• Abandonment and neglect
• Sexual abuse
• Exploiting the elderly financially
• Healthcare rip-offs and scams

In addition to the many forms of abuse, are the places where it can occur. Again, places where the senior should feel safe, like at home or in a care facility, are typical places where nefarious deeds can be committed against the elderly.

Signs of Abuse

There are plenty of signs and things to watch out for if you're concerned about elder abuse. Physical abuse manifests itself in: unexplained bruising, black eyes or broken bones. Rope marks or burns can be an indication of restraint. Refusal by a caregiver to let family members or visitors see the elder alone can also be an indication that something is wrong.

Emotional abuse is a little tougher to detect. In particular be watchful for: seniors who are overly upset or agitated; apathetic, depressed or severely withdrawn and caregivers who exhibit behaviors like belittling, threatening or controlling an elder.

Neglect can comprise of confinement, isolation or denial of care. In addition, caregivers who refuse basic necessities like food, water and medication are guilty of neglect.  Signs of this type of abuse can be: malnutrition or dehydration; untreated medical problems like cuts or sores; sudden and unexplained weight loss; desertion; making the elder wear clothing not fit for the weather; leaving the elder in a dirty, unclean state and the use of physical restraints.

Perhaps one of the worst forms of abuse is sexual abuse. As with children, this type of abuse usually leaves mental scars that never heal. Some indications of sexual abuse are: bruising around the sexual organs; unexplained bleeding from the vagina or anus and extreme withdrawal or sudden change in a senior's behavior.

Financial scams and abuse are among the most common forms of abuse among the elderly. These can be large withdrawals from savings or checking accounts, checks written in large amounts to suspicious recipients, sudden changes in wills, trusts, deeds or power of attorney and bills that go unpaid despite the senior having funds to pay them.

Nursing Homes

There has been much written and documented in recent years about abuse that occurs in some of our nation's nursing homes. While most of these facilities are top-notch, reputable places that deliver the best care possible, there are times bad things happen.

Abuse occurs for many reasons. Maybe the staff is poorly trained and can't deal with a senior's special needs. Maybe the staff is overworked and wrongly vent their frustrations on the people they care for. Stress can play a large factor as well. Oftentimes, caregivers must stay up late in order to deal with Alzheimer's or patients suffering from dementia. This leads to rapid burnout for many staffers at institutions that house extreme cases.

While this is not meant to excuse any form of abuse, it should be noted that not all abuse occurs because of bad intentions. That's why if you, or someone you care for, is in a nursing home or continuous care facility, the staff and the patients should be constantly monitored to be sure everyone is working toward giving the proper care and attention the people in their charge.

Don't be afraid to ask questions of both the staff and the people in their care.

Getting Help

If you feel or suspect that you or someone you care for is being abused in any way tell someone immediately about the situation. This can be a family member, clergy, doctor or anyone you're sure you can trust. If you don't feel you have someone you can turn to, most states have an Adult Protective Services agency. Their job is to investigate abuse cases and intervene if necessary. If you're reporting suspected abuse, you don't have to give your name.

For an emergency situation call your local authorities or 911 for immediate help.