NRNP 6665 Week 2 Discussion Ethical and Legal Foundations of PMHNP Care Topic Child and Elder Abuse Reporting

The topic I chose to discuss is “Child and Elder Abuse Reporting”. Elder abuse is a common form of violence against older people often committed by relatives or institutional caregivers known to the victim and can be defined as “a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person’’ (Donovan & Regehr, 2010). However, elder abuse can come in many different forms such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, financial/material exploitation, neglect, abandonment, and self-neglect. Approximately 1-2 million Americans have been a victim of some sort of abuse, and it is typically someone close to them, such as their adult child or family member (APA, 2008). However, institutional abuse has become a major concern lately with the COVID pandemic, as family members are not able to see their loved ones or care for them at home (APA, 2008).