Good web starting points:
- National Center on Elder Abuse
- National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
- 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.]
Scope of the problem:
From: Trends in Elder Abuse. [pdf] Summary: its underreported, growing rapidly
Types of Abuse by Kind of Perpetrator:
- abuse by care-providing relatives (granny battering)
- nursing home abuse
- spouse abuse grown old
- abuse of ageing caregivers by elderly care recipients
Kind of abuse (1996 data)
- Neglect: 55.0 percent of cases
- Physical abuse: 14.6 percent
- Exploitation : 12.3 percent
- Emotional abuse 7.7 percent.
- Sexual abuse: 0.3 percent.
