A disturbing trend of elder abuse seems to be growing across the country.

The elderly roughed up in nursing homes, hit by caregivers, stolen from by strangers and neglected by family.

"I had one woman tell me that she was keeping her mother in the attic, and she didn't see that as wrong," Center for Prevention of Elder Abuse and Neglect Elder Justice Advocate Virginia Ngai said.

A report in the National Council on Aging reports that before the COVID pandemic, one in 10 elderly adults in the United States suffered abuse; now, that number has doubled to one in five.

Ngai says she's seeing an uptick in self-neglect, where family members may not know their loved ones are in desperate need of help or aren't prepared to help.

"They may no longer be able to go and shop for themselves or cook for themselves, and they might not be able to fill their medication or take it," Ngai said.

In 60 percent of cases, a family member is the abuser.

"When their parent is acting in behaviors that they're not used to, or they don't feel as mature, then they may actually just lose it, lose their cool," Ngai said.

Strategies that can help include creating a caregiver support team that provides relief to those caregiving, money management programs are available for those vulnerable to financial exploitation and Adult Protective Services can help find a safer place for elderly abuse victims to stay.

If you are looking for a caregiver, be sure to make sure they are licensed, insured and have valid referrals. 

Elder abuse is an even more widespread issue for vulnerable seniors with dementia or Alzheimer's. Research shows nearly half of older adults with cognitive impairment suffer from abuse.

These conditions often impact memory, communication, and judgment, making it difficult for elders to recognize and report abuse when it happens.