title: Evaluating abuse in the patient with dementia.
abstract: For patients with dementia, abuse ranges from subtle scams to outright physical violence. As dementia progresses, abuse escalates. The stages of dementia--mild cognitive impairment, mild dementia, moderate dementia, and severe dementia--lend themselves to varied presentations of abuse. Knowing which types of abuse are more prominent at each stage aids the clinician in anticipating risk of abuse and patient and caregiver needs. Interviewing the victim is crucial in uncovering, documenting, and intervening in an abuse situation. A clinician who is skilled in drawing out the facts while remaining supportive of the patient is key in ending the victimization.
authors.affiliation: Parrish Senior Consultation Center, 805 A Century Medical Drive, Titusville, FL 32796, USA. Electronic address: Pamela.Tronetti@Parrishmed.com.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tronetti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D004552:Elder Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014481:United States; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Dementia; Elder abuse; Interviewing; Victimization