Sadly, the care of our elderly adults is a tragedy that is underreported and rarely even studied. That means that abuse is not addressed or corrected in a way that guarantees our elderly loved ones the care they generally provided for us when we were young. The vast majority of elderly abuse takes place by family members or community caregivers. Only a little more than 7% of elderly adults reside in nursing homes, yet estimates say that anywhere from 1 to 5 million are abused every year. To add insult to injury, few physicians will report instances of known abuse. Part of the problem lies in the inability of many seniors to describe the abuse that they suffer. Others are bullied into thinking they deserve it. It is up to family member, neighbors, and concerned friends to make a call to your state Adult Protection Services agency and an elder care attorney to learn what you can do to help.