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50-592: Danger is a lack of safety and may refer to: Safety Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk . The word 'safety' entered the English language in the 14th century. It is derived from Latin salvus , meaning uninjured, in good health , safe. There are two slightly different meanings of "safety". For example, " home safety " may indicate

100-460: A building's ability to protect against external harm events (such as weather , home invasion , etc.), or may indicate that its internal installations (such as appliances , stairs , etc.) are safe (not dangerous or harmful) for its inhabitants. Discussions of safety often include mention of related terms. Security is such a term. With time the definitions between these two have often become interchanged, equated, and frequently appear juxtaposed in

150-512: A court order is needed to remove a child from their home but not to remove a victim of elder abuse from theirs. Various risk factors increase the likelihood that an elderly person will become a victim of elder abuse, including an elderly person who: Several other risk factors increase the likelihood that a caregiver will participate in elder abuse, including a caregiver who: In addition: Risk factors can also be categorized into individual, relationship, community, and sociocultural levels. At

200-519: A death, and a total of 303 incidents were considered life-threatening. About one in 11 incidents involved a life-threatening or fatal situation. In 2012, the study called Pure Financial Exploitation vs. Hybrid Exploitation Co-Occurring With Physical Abuse and/or Neglect of Elderly Persons by Shelly L. Jackson and Thomas L. Hafemeister brought attention to the hybrid abuse that elderly persons can experience. This study revealed that victims of hybrid financial exploitation or HFE lost an average of $ 185,574,

250-408: A desire to die. There is a distinction between products that meet standards, that are safe, and that merely feel safe. The highway safety community uses these terms: Normative safety is achieved when a product or design meets applicable standards and practices for design and construction or manufacture, regardless of the product's actual safety history. Substantive or objective safety occurs when

300-685: A growing amount of research into the nature and extent of elder abuse. The research still varies considerably in the definitions being used, who is being asked, and what is being asked. As a result, the statistics used in this area vary considerably. One study suggests that around 25% of vulnerable older adults will report abuse in the previous month, totaling up to 6% of the general elderly population. However, some consistent themes are beginning to emerge from interactions with abused elders, and through limited and small scale research projects. Work undertaken in Canada suggests that approximately 70% of elder abuse

350-481: A history of substance abuse or have had other life troubles are of particular concern. For example, Hybrid Financial Exploitation (HFE) abusive individuals are more likely to be a relative, chronically unemployed, and dependent on the elderly person. Additionally, past studies have estimated that between 16 percent and 38 percent of all elder abusers have a history of mental illness. Elder abuse perpetrated by individuals with mental illnesses can be decreased by lessening

400-423: A home's external threats and protection from its internal structural and equipment failures (see Meanings, above) are not two types of safety but rather two aspects of a home's steady state. In the world of everyday affairs, not all goes as planned. Some entity's steady state is challenged. This is where security science , which is of more recent date, enters. Drawing from the definition of safety, then: Security

450-403: A lack of funds to pay for care, needing assistance but living alone, and having bonds between generations of a family destroyed are possible factors in elder abuse. There has been a general lack of reliable data in this area and it is often argued that the absence of data is a reflection of the low priority given to work associated with older people. However, over the past decade there has been

500-732: A particular ANSI standard. Many government agencies set safety standards for matters under their jurisdiction, such as: Product safety testing, for the United States, is largely controlled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. In addition, workplace related products come under the jurisdiction of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which certifies independent testing companies as Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTL), see. The European Commission provides

550-626: A physician. Although there has been an increase in awareness of elder abuse over the years, physicians tend to only report 2% of elder abuse cases. Reasons for lack of reporting by physicians include a lack of current knowledge concerning state laws on elder abuse, concern about angering the abuser and ruining the relationship with the elderly patient, possible court appearances, lack of cooperation from elderly patients or families, and lack of time and reimbursement. Through education and training about elder abuse, health care professionals can better assist elder abuse victims. Educating and training those in

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600-413: A range of $ 20–$ 750,000. Several conditions make it hard for researchers to obtain accurate statistics on elder abuse. Researchers may have difficulty obtaining accurate elder abuse statistics for the following reasons: Doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel can play a vital role in assisting elder abuse victims. Studies have shown that elderly individuals, on average, make 13.9 visits per year to

650-399: A relationship of trust. Older people living alone who have no adult children living nearby are particularly vulnerable to "grooming" by neighbors and friends who would hope to gain control of their estates. The majority of abusers are relatives, typically the older adult's spouse/partner or sons and daughters, although the type of abuse differs according to the relationship. In some situations

700-420: A single individual upon an older person. In fact, a case study in Canada suggests that the high elder abuse statistics are from repeat offenders who, like in other forms of abuse, practice elder abuse for the schadenfreude associated with the act. More commonly, institutional abuses or neglect may reflect lack of knowledge , lack of training, lack of support, or insufficient resourcing. Institutional abuse may be

750-495: A spouse, partner, or family member, a friend or neighbor, or people an older person relies on for services. Many forms of elder abuse are recognized as types of domestic violence or family violence since they are committed by family members. Paid caregivers have also been known to prey on elderly patients. While a variety of circumstances are considered elder abuse, it does not include general criminal activities against older persons, such as home break-ins, robbery or muggings in

800-443: A standard of insurance to the quality and unharmful function of an object or organization. It is used in order to ensure that the object or organization will do only what it is meant to do. It is important to realize that safety is relative. Eliminating all risk , if even possible, would be extremely difficult and very expensive. A safe situation is one where risks of injury or property damage are low and manageable. When something

850-405: Is called safe, this usually means that it is safe within certain reasonable limits and parameters. For example, a medication may be safe, for most people, under most circumstances, if taken in a certain amount. A choice motivated by safety may have other, unsafe consequences. For example, frail elderly people are sometimes moved out of their homes and into hospitals or skilled nursing homes with

900-675: Is involved, and track record indicates some of the areas of theory that are relevant. (In the US, persons with a state license in Professional Engineering in Electrical Engineering are expected to be competent in this regard, the foregoing notwithstanding, but most electrical engineers have no need of the license for their work.) Safety is often seen as one of a group of related disciplines: quality, reliability, availability, maintainability and safety. (Availability

950-582: Is perpetrated against women and this is supported by evidence from the Hourglass helpline in the UK, which identifies women as victims in 67% of calls. Also domestic violence in later life may be a continuation of long term partner abuse and in some cases, abuse may begin with retirement or the onset of a health condition. Certainly, abuse increases with age, with 78 percent of victims being over 70 years of age. The higher proportion of spousal homicides supports

1000-583: Is sometimes not mentioned, on the principle that it is a simple function of reliability and maintainability.) These issues tend to determine the value of any work, and deficits in any of these areas are considered to result in a cost, beyond the cost of addressing the area in the first place; good management is then expected to minimize total cost. Safety measures are activities and precautions taken to improve safety, i.e. reduce risk related to human health. Common safety measures include: Today there are multiple scientific journals focusing on safety research. Among

1050-429: Is supposed to do" is defined in terms of public codes and standards, associated architectural and engineering designs , corporate vision and mission statements, and operational plans and personnel policies. For any organization, place, or function, large or small, safety is a normative concept. It complies with situation-specific definitions of what is expected and acceptable. Using this definition, protection from

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1100-425: Is that safety issues can be readily deduced. In fact, safety issues have been discovered one by one, over more than a century in the case mentioned, in the work of many thousands of practitioners, and cannot be deduced by a single individual over a few decades. A knowledge of the literature, the standards and custom in a field is a critical part of safety engineering. A combination of theory and track record of practices

1150-472: Is the process or means, physical or human, of delaying, preventing, and otherwise protecting against external or internal, defects, dangers, loss, criminals, and other individuals or actions that threaten, hinder or destroy an organization’s "steady state," and deprive it of its intended purpose for being. Using this generic definition of safety it is possible to specify the elements of a security program. Safety can be limited in relation to some guarantee or

1200-504: The 9/11 attacks in 2001, many people chose to drive rather than fly, despite the fact that, even counting terrorist attacks, flying is safer than driving. Perceived risk discourages people from walking and bicycling for transportation, enjoyment or exercise, even though the health benefits outweigh the risk of injury. Perceived safety can drive regulation which increases costs and inconvenience without improving actual safety. Also called social safety or public safety, security addresses

1250-733: The above findings, with some variations. Of 1288 cases in 2002–2004, 1201 individuals, 42 couples, and 45 groups were found to have been abused. Of these, 70 percent were female. Psychological abuse (59%), followed by material/financial (42%), and physical abuse (12%) were the most frequently identified types of abuse. Sexual abuse occurred in 2% of reported cases. Age Concern New Zealand found that most abusers are family members (70%), most commonly sons or daughters (40%). Older abusers (those over 65 years) are more likely to be husbands. In 2007, 4766 cases of suspected abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation involving older adults were reported, an increase of 9 percent over 2006. 19 incidents were related to

1300-585: The abuse is "domestic violence grown old," a situation in which the abusive behavior of a spouse or partner continues into old age. In some situations, an older couple may be attempting to care and support each other and failing, in the absence of external support. In the case of sons and daughters, it tends to be that of financial abuse, justified by a belief that it is nothing more than the "advance inheritance" of property, valuables, and money. Though corporate abusers, such as brokerage firms and bank trust companies have been considered too regulated to be able to abuse

1350-666: The caregiver's behavior. For example, the caregiver may not allow them to speak to or receive visitors or may exhibit indifference or a lack of affection towards the elder or refer to the elder as "a burden." Caregivers who have a history of substance abuse or mental illness are more likely to commit elder abuse than other individuals. Abuse can sometimes be subtle and therefore difficult to detect. Regardless, awareness organizations and research advise that one take any suspicion seriously and address concerns adequately and immediately. The health consequences of elder abuse are serious. Elder abuse can destroy an elderly person's quality of life in

1400-511: The claim that this will improve the person's safety. The safety provided is that daily medications will be supervised, the person will not need to engage in some potentially risky activities such as climbing stairs or cooking, and if the person falls down, someone there will be able to help the person get back up. However, the end result might be decidedly unsafe, including the dangers of transfer trauma , hospital delirium , elder abuse , hospital-acquired infections , depression, anxiety, and even

1450-474: The consequence of common practices or processes that are part of running of a care institution or service. Sometimes this type of abuse is referred to as "poor practice," although this term reflects the motive of the perpetrator (the causation) rather than the impact upon the older person. Elder abuse is not a direct parallel to child maltreatment , as perpetrators of elder abuse do not have the same legal protection of rights as parents of children do. For example,

1500-425: The criminal justice system, such as police, prosecutors, and the judiciary on elder abuse, as well as increased legislation to protect elders, will also help to minimize elder abuse. Increased legislations to protect elders and will also provide improved assistance to victims of elder abuse. In addition, community involvement in responding to elder abuse can contribute to elderly persons' safety. In general, preventing

1550-504: The defined safety regulations. A major American standards organization is the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Usually, members of a particular industry will voluntarily form a committee to study safety issues and propose standards. Those standards are then recommended to ANSI, which reviews and adopts them. Many government regulations require that products sold or used must comply with

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1600-402: The elderly, cases of such abuse have been reported. Such corporate abuse might escape notice both because they have more aptitude at methods of abuse that can go undetected and because they are protected by attorneys and the government in ways that individuals are not. Within paid care environments, abuse can occur for a variety of reasons. Some abuse is the willful act of cruelty inflicted by

1650-540: The family abuse of older people. According to the Hourglass helpline in the UK, abuse occurs primarily in the family home (64%), followed by residential care (23%), and then hospitals (5%), although a helpline does not necessarily provide a true reflection of such situations as it is based upon the physical and mental ability of people to utilize such a resource. Research conducted in New Zealand broadly supports

1700-403: The following as elder abuse: The key to prevention and intervention of elder abuse is the ability to recognize the warning signs of its occurrence. Signs of elder abuse differ depending on the type of abuse the victim is suffering. Each type of abuse has distinct signs associated with it. In addition to observing signs in the elderly individual, one can also detect abuse by monitoring changes in

1750-484: The forms of: The risk of death for elder abuse victims is three times higher than for non-victims. An abuser can be a caregiver, spouse, partner, relative, friend, neighbor, volunteer worker, paid worker, practitioner, solicitor , or any other individual with the intent to deprive a vulnerable person of their resources. Relatives include adult children and their spouses or partners, their offspring, and other extended family members. Children and living relatives who have

1800-554: The globe on this day to raise awareness of elder abuse and highlight ways to challenge it. In essence, elder abuse involves the use of power and control to harm the well-being and status of an older person. Although there are common themes of elder abuse across nations, elder abuse differs within nations according to the history, culture, and economic strength of older people, as well as the way older people are perceived. Several types of elder abuse are generally recognized, including: In addition, some U.S. state laws also recognize

1850-441: The individual level, elders who have poor physical and mental health are at higher risk. At the relationship level, a shared living situation is a huge risk factor for the elderly, and living in the same area as the abuser is more likely to result in abuse. At the community level, caregivers may knowingly or inadvertently cause social isolation of the elderly. At the sociocultural level, being represented as weak and dependent, having

1900-426: The legal framework, but the different Member States may authorize test laboratories to carry out safety testing. Many countries have national organizations that have accreditation to test and/or submit test reports for safety certification. These are typically referred to as a Notified or Competent Body. Elder abuse Elder abuse includes harms by people an older person knows or has a relationship with, such as

1950-414: The level of dependency that persons with serious mental illness have on family members. This can be done by funneling more resources into housing assistance programs, intensive care management services, and better welfare benefits for individuals with serious mental illness. People with substance abuse and mental health disorders typically have very small social networks, and this confinement contributes to

2000-519: The most common. Probably the most common individual response to perceived safety issues is insurance, which compensates for or provides restitution in the case of damage or loss. System safety and reliability engineering is an engineering discipline. Continuous changes in technology, environmental regulation and public safety concerns make the analysis of complex safety-critical systems more and more demanding. A common fallacy, for example among electrical engineers regarding structure power systems,

2050-865: The most popular ones are Safety Science and Journal of Safety Research. The goal of this research is to identify, understand, and mitigate risks to human health and well-being in various environments. This involves systematically studying hazards, analyzing potential and actual accidents, and developing effective strategies to prevent injuries and fatalities. Safety research aims to create safer products, systems, and practices by incorporating scientific, engineering, and behavioral insights. Ultimately, it seeks to enhance public safety, reduce economic losses, and improve overall quality of life by ensuring that both individuals and communities are better protected from harm. A number of standards organizations exist that promulgate safety standards. These may be voluntary organizations or government agencies. These agencies first define

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2100-601: The occurrence or recurrence of elder abuse helps not only the elder but it may also improve the anxiety and depression of their caregivers too. Communities can develop programs that are structured around meeting the needs of elderly persons. For example, several communities throughout the United States have created Financial Abuse Specialist Teams, which are multidisciplinary groups that consist of public and private professionals who volunteer their time to advise Adult Protective Services (APS), law enforcement, and private attorneys on matters of vulnerable adult financial abuse. It

2150-445: The overall occurrence of elder abuse. Perpetrators of elder abuse can include anyone in a position of trust , control or authority over the individual. Family relationships, neighbors and friends, are all socially considered relationships of trust, whether or not the older adult actually thinks of the people as "trustworthy." Some perpetrators may "groom" an older person (befriend or build a relationship with them) in order to establish

2200-417: The presence of the associated hazards that are known, expected, or reasonably assumed to exist during a planned activity and any likely contingencies associated with it. Safety is generally interpreted as implying a real and significant impact on risk of death, injury or damage to property. In response to perceived risks many interventions may be proposed with engineering responses and regulation being two of

2250-520: The real-world safety history is favorable, whether or not standards are met. Perceived or subjective safety refers to the users' level of comfort and perception of risk, without consideration of standards or safety history. For example, traffic signals are perceived as safe, yet under some circumstances, they can increase traffic crashes at an intersection. Traffic roundabouts have a generally favorable safety record yet often make drivers nervous. Low perceived safety can have costs. For example, after

2300-424: The risk of harm due to intentional criminal acts such as assault, burglary or vandalism. Because of the moral issues involved, security is of higher importance to many people than substantive safety. For example, a death due to murder is considered worse than a death in a car crash, even though in many countries, traffic deaths are more common than homicides. Operational safety is the absence of unacceptable risk in

2350-572: The safety standards, which they publish in the form of codes. They are also Accreditation Bodies and entitle independent third parties such as testing and certification agencies to inspect and ensure compliance to the standards they defined. For instance, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) formulated a certain number of safety standards in its Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) and accredited TÜV Rheinland to provide certification services to guarantee product compliance to

2400-405: The same sentence. Readers are left to conclude whether they comprise a redundancy. This confuses the uniqueness that should be reserved for each by itself. When seen as unique, as we intend here, each term will assume its rightful place in influencing and being influenced by the other. Safety is the condition of a "steady state" of an organization or place doing what it is supposed to do. "What it

2450-614: The street, or "distraction burglary ," where a stranger distracts an older person at the doorstep while another person enters the property to steal. Over the years, government agencies and community professional groups worldwide have specified elder abuse as a social problem. In 2002, WHO brought international attention to the issue of elder abuse. In 2006, the International Network for Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) designated June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). An increasing number of events are held across

2500-458: The suggestion that abuse of older women is often a continuation of long term spousal abuse against women. In contrast, the risk of homicide for older men was far greater outside the family than within. This is an important point because the domestic violence of older people is often not recognized and consequently strategies, which have proved effective within the domestic violence arena, have not been routinely transferred into circumstances involving

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