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Preventing Abuse
If you feel pushed beyond your limit, you may worry that you could become abusive or neglectful of your care receiver. Before you cross that line, please consider these suggestions:
- If over your limit of frustration, leave the room.. Count to 50, go outside and sit in the car a moment, have a cup of tea, play a game or work a crossword puzzle, call a friend in your support group, or do whatever else is necessary to prevent losing control. Behaviors that signal that you are losing control can include screaming, name-calling, striking, humiliating, or otherwise hurting your care receiver. See Stage Three, section 1.
- Know what constitutes abuse and neglect. Read Help Stop Elder Abuse in the More Resources and Tips section.
- If your care receiver is at risk of going into a facility unless you get services right away, read the "At Risk" section of Stage Two, section 5.
- When you must talk with someone at once because it is the middle of the night, your care receiver is waking you frequently, and you are beyond your limit of frustration, dial 211 in Pinellas County, Florida. This is 211 Tampa Bay, a 24-hour crisis and information line for people of all ages sponsored by the 211 Tampa Bay Cares organization. The person who answers the 211 line is trained in crisis counseling and will refer you to community services. For information in several languages and a searchable online database, visit the 211 web site, www.211tampabay.info.
- If you need strategies for dealing with a care receiver with dementia anytime night or day, call the National Alzheimer's Association toll-free information line, 1-800-272-3900. Counseling, information, and support are provided.
- Some religious organizations offer counseling and telephone support to anyone regardless of religious affiliation, and some also offer online chats with a counselor.
Next: Preventing Suicide
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