The Abuse Nobody Talks About — Protecting Your Aging Parent From Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Financial Exploitation

By Patrick Mapile, Founder of CarePali Home Care — West Los Angeles

The National Center on Elder Abuse estimates that approximately 1 in 10 Americans over 65 experiences some form of elder abuse, yet research published in the American Journal of Public Health found that for every case reported, approximately 23 go undetected. The National Council on Aging reports that elder abuse costs victims an estimated $36.5 billion annually in the United States, with financial exploitation alone accounting for losses exceeding $28 billion per year. June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and as families in West Los Angeles navigate the complexities of caring for aging parents, understanding the forms, warning signs, and prevention strategies for elder abuse is essential.

The Five Types of Elder Abuse

The World Health Organization categorizes elder abuse into five primary types: physical abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, and sexual abuse. Research from the National Elder Mistreatment Study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, found that financial exploitation is the most common form, affecting approximately 5.2 percent of older adults. Emotional abuse follows at 4.6 percent, physical abuse at 1.6 percent, and neglect — which researchers consider the most difficult to detect and document — at rates that vary widely depending on the definition used but may affect as many as 5 to 10 percent of older adults.

A critical finding from the New York State Elder Abuse Prevalence Study, published in the Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, is that perpetrators are overwhelmingly known to the victim. Family members account for approximately 60 percent of all elder abuse cases, with adult children being the most common perpetrators of financial exploitation and spouses the most common perpetrators of physical abuse. Paid caregivers, neighbors, and friends account for a smaller but significant proportion of cases.

Financial Exploitation: The Fastest Growing Form

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau identifies financial exploitation as the fastest-growing form of elder abuse. The MetLife Mature Market Institute estimated annual losses at $2.9 billion, but more recent research from the Stanford Center on Longevity suggests the true figure is closer to $28 billion when unreported cases are included. Common schemes include unauthorized use of the older person's funds or property, forging signatures, coercing the older person to sign documents, and scam operations targeting vulnerable older adults.

Cognitive decline dramatically increases vulnerability. Research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that even mild cognitive impairment — which may not meet the threshold for a dementia diagnosis — reduces the ability to detect deception and increases susceptibility to financial exploitation by a factor of five. The AARP reports that older adults with cognitive impairment lose an average of $34,200 per financial exploitation incident, compared to $13,900 among those without cognitive impairment.

Warning Signs Families Should Know

The National Center on Elder Abuse and the Administration for Community Living identify several evidence-based warning signs across categories. For physical abuse: unexplained bruises, burns, or injuries, especially in various stages of healing. For emotional abuse: withdrawal, fearfulness, depression, or behavioral changes in the presence of a specific person. For financial exploitation: sudden changes in financial documents, unexplained withdrawals, new "best friends" who appear when money discussions arise, or unpaid bills despite adequate resources.

For neglect — which can be perpetrated by caregivers or can be self-neglect — warning signs include poor hygiene, weight loss, dehydration, untreated medical conditions, unsafe or unsanitary living conditions, and social isolation. Research in the Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect found that self-neglect is actually the most commonly reported form of elder mistreatment, accounting for more than half of all adult protective services referrals, and is strongly associated with cognitive impairment, depression, and social isolation.

Prevention Strategies That Work

Research from the National Institute of Justice identifies several evidence-based prevention approaches. The single most effective protective factor is social connection — isolated older adults are significantly more likely to be exploited than those with regular social contact. Financial safeguards include establishing a durable power of attorney with a trusted individual before cognitive decline, setting up direct deposit and automatic bill payment, regularly reviewing bank statements and credit reports, and discussing the warning signs of common scams.

Background checks on paid caregivers are essential. California law requires that home care organizations licensed by the Department of Social Services conduct background checks on all employees, including fingerprint-based criminal history review. The Home Care Aide Foundation reports that agencies with rigorous screening processes have 40 percent fewer reported incidents than those with minimal screening. Families hiring independent caregivers should conduct their own background checks and require references.

Reporting and Resources in West Los Angeles

In California, suspected elder abuse should be reported to Adult Protective Services at 1-877-477-3646 or to local law enforcement. The LA County Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-877-477-3646 operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Bet Tzedek Legal Services in Los Angeles provides free legal assistance to elder abuse victims. The LA County District Attorney's Elder Abuse Unit investigates criminal cases. The Ombudsman Program investigates complaints involving residents of long-term care facilities.

At CarePali, the safety of every client is our highest priority. All of our home care aides undergo thorough background screening, and our supervisory structure ensures regular check-ins and accountability. We believe that professional, well-supervised home care is itself a form of elder abuse prevention — providing the consistent presence, observation, and relationship that makes exploitation far less likely. If you have concerns about an aging parent's safety or wellbeing, we encourage you to speak up. Silence is where abuse thrives.