BY TSC STAFF

Arnold Bauer, a 93-year-old resident of San Diego who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor, has been moved to a nursing home after suffering neglect at the hands of his caregiver, reports The Associated Press.

Bauer served on board the USS Vestal, a coal ship that was damaged during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in World War II. Long after he survived the war, Bauer developed dementia and prostate cancer, leaving him reliant on a caregiver.

Last month, however, authorities found Bauer in poor condition in his El Cajon house, which was reportedly filled with decomposing garbage and rat droppings. When sheriff’s deputies arrived at his home, Bauer was reportedly severely disoriented and dehydrated and was holding a picture of the USS Vestal.

Stephanie Le Chevalier, Bauer’s daughter, told the source that her father has since moved to a San Diego-area nursing home, where he continues to receive treatment for the abuse he suffered. Meanwhile, his caregiver, Milagros Angeles, pleaded not guilty after she was charged with elder abuse, theft and false imprisonment.

According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, between 1 and 2 million people over the age of 65 in the United States have been subjected to some form of elder abuse, including physical, mental and financial mistreatment. The organization believes that authorities are alerted to only one out of every 14 incidents of elder abuse in a domestic setting, barring instances of self-neglect.

People who have fallen victim to elder abuse and their families may wish to contact the National Center on Elder Abuse, which provides resources designed to help people recover from such mistreatment.