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Expert information on how to prevent elder abuse and recognize and respond to the problem when it does occur will be highlighted on MerckManuals.com, an online medical reference, during the first half of June.
The United Nations has designated June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. About 1 in 10 Americans have experienced elder abuse. Moreover, elder abuse is underreported, and a study published in 2016 found that the problem is often missed when older Americans are admitted to an emergency department.
“Older people can be mistreated by having harmful things done or said to them or by having necessary things withheld from them,” said Daniel B. Kaplan, Ph.D., LICSW, a contributor to MerckManuals.com who authored several essays on issues related to older adults. “The circumstances can be exacerbated when caregivers are overwhelmed by the demands on them or they are inadequately prepared for the role.” Dr. Kaplan is an Assistant Professor at Adelphi University School of Social Work.
The content, which will be highlighted on www.merckmanuals.com/home from June 1 through June 16, will cover:
- Preventing elder abuse
- Recognizing the signs of elder abuse
- Responding to elder abuse
- Avoiding caregiver burnout
- Self neglect in elders
“While the entire content of The Merck Manuals is always available online, what we decide to call special attention to on the landing page is dynamic,” explained Editor-in-Chief Robert S. Porter, M.D. “We often look to highlight topics based on national observances and issues that have broad implications for society and public health.”
An overview of the subject matter related to elder abuse can be accessed at anytime at www.merckmanuals.com/elderabus
About MerckManuals.com
Provided as a public service, access to MerckManuals.com is unlimited and free to all. There is no registration, and the user experience is not compromised by advertising or commercial messaging.
The website expands on the information contained in The Merck Manuals, a series of medical reference books long trusted by doctors and patients alike. Online enhancements include expert commentary, infographics, animations, video clips, health calculators and trackers, quizzes, as well as a pill identifier and a guide to pronunciation of medical terms.
More than 350 medical experts currently serve as contributors, and content is reviewed by an independent editorial board and regularly updated online.
Merck & Co., Inc. published the original Merck Manual for doctors and pharmacists in 1899. The 19th edition of the book for professionals was introduced in 2011.
The first edition of The Merck Manual of Medical Information, developed specifically to address the need for understandable medical information among consumers, was introduced in 1997.