Elder Abuse

Good web starting points:

1. National Center on Elder Abuse
2. National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL)

Definition:

“Aggressive or invasive behaviours/actions or threats of same inflicted on an older adult and resulting in harmful effects for the older adult.” [from: Hudson M.F. (1991) Elder mistreatment: a taxonomy with definitions by Delphi. Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect 3, 1-20.]

Types of Abuse by Kind of Perpetrator:

1. abuse by care-providing relatives (granny battering)
2. nursing home abuse
3. spouse abuse grown old
4. abuse of ageing caregivers by elderly care recipients

Kind of abuse (1996 data)

1. Neglect: 55.0 percent of cases
2. Physical abuse: 14.6 percent
3. Exploitation : 12.3 percent
4. Emotional abuse 7.7 percent.
5. Sexual abuse: 0.3 percent.