Which issue is identified as a risk factor involving safety and welfare of older adults?

• A. Chronic cough
• B. Economic strain
• C. Elder abuse
• D. Glaucoma

Answer: (C)

Understanding safety and welfare risks for older adults points you to elder abuse as a key factor. Elder abuse encompasses physical, emotional, and psychological harm, neglect, exploitation, and abandonment by caregivers or others in a position of trust. It directly threatens an elder’s safety, health, and overall well‑being, often requiring immediate protective actions, documentation, and referrals to protective services. Recognizing elder abuse in assessment helps clinicians intervene to stop harm, ensure a safe living situation, and connect the individual with needed supports.

Chronic cough and glaucoma are important health issues, but they do not inherently flag risks to safety and welfare in the same direct way. Chronic cough is a symptom or condition to manage clinically, while glaucoma affects vision and may impact functioning over time but isn’t by itself a safeguarding risk factor. Economic strain is a welfare-related stressor and can influence access to care and support, yet elder abuse specifically centers on hostile or neglectful interactions and exploitation that compromise safety and daily well‑being.