Elder Abuse: Two Cases

The prevalence of elder abuse and neglect increases in the modern societies as a result of global and population aging. It may take different forms such as physical, verbal, emotional, sexual abuse, exploitation, neglect and abandonment. We present two cases of elder abuse. The first case is a male patient with dementia presenting periorbital and facial ecchymoses resulting from interfamilial violence. The second case is a female with facial injuries, bone fractures and severe brain injuries. Elder mistreatment remains even in the 21st century a well hidden issue. There are many factors that are featured as risk factors for elder abuse. Poverty and ageism are the two main risk factors according to the United Nations Report in 2002. In addition, risk factors are interdependent, rendering the problem of elder abuse complex. Its management requires its handling as a social problem. In this manner, dental and medical education should provide skills for the diagnosis of elder abuse as well as for the understanding of the complex interaction between injuries and illness in the elderly. These approaches need a cooperation of many professionals from different faculties that will be alert in order to detect cases of mistreatment that usually remain undetected. Conclusively, regardless of the strategies being chosen for the management of elder abuse and neglect, the aim should be the protection of the dignity and the rights of the elderly in order to provide healthy and active aging.