If you are in immediate danger and fear for your safety, dial 911.
If you are in a safe place, please call the Samaritan House 24-hour crisis hotline at (757) 430-2120 or use our new chat feature to interact with a member of our specially trained intake staff.
Signs of Domestic Violence
ELDER ABUSE SUPPORT SERVICES
Abuse of older adults affects persons from all walks of life, and we understand the unique needs of specific communities, approaches to talking about domestic violence, and challenges accessing support services. Samaritan House is aware of the unique issues and problems facing older adults and created an Older Adult Advisory Committee to advise and adequately provide services for this community. Samaritan House provides a holistic approach in its housing, case management, counseling, advocacy, transportation, medical assistance, food support, and job training programs for anyone experiencing violence in any form.
ABUSE IN LATER LIFE
Abuse of older adults is an intentional act or failure to act, by a caregiver or another person in a trusting relationship that causes or creates a risk of harm. Examples include physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and/or financial exploitation.
Recognize the Signs of Elder Abuse
- Physical Abuse: Unexplained signs of injury or restraint. Denial of food, healthcare, or medication.
- Sexual Abuse: Sexual assault during caregiving. Forces sex acts or is made to view pornography.
- Psychological & Emotional Abuse: Verbally abusive, degrades, or blames. Publicly humiliates or gaslights. Denies access to spiritual events.
- Financial Exploitation: Steals money, titles, or possessions. Abuses power of attorney. Imposes decisions regarding care without input from others.
- Isolating Tactics: Controls who they see & what they do. Excludes or denies access to family. Denies access to phone or computer. Misleads family regarding condition.
Elder Abuse Statistics
- More than 1 in 10 adults who are over the age of 70 have experienced some form of abuse in the past year.
- Out of the 34,116 reports of abuse of adults annually in Virginia, 72% were over 60 years old.
- The majority of older adult abuse cases involve spouses causing harm, with females experiencing the abuse.
RESOURCES
SUPPORT
CONTACT
