Elder Abuse in Massachusetts - A Survey of Professionals and Paraprofeesionals (From Abuse of the Elderly, P 57-95, 1984, Joseph J Costa, ed. - See NCJ-95695)

• NCJ Number: 95699
• Author(s): H O'Malley; H Segars; R Perez; V Mitchell; G M Kneupfel
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 38 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs
• Corporate Author: Legal Research and Services for the Elderly
• Sale Source: Lexington Books
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Information on the abuse of elders in Massachusetts from October 1977 through March 1979 is presented.

Abstract

Definitions of abuse (the willful infliction of physical pain, injury, or debilitating mental anguish, unreasonable confinement, or willful deprivation by a caretaker of services that are necessary to maintain mental and physical health) and of elder (any person aged 60 or older and residing in a noninstitutional environment) are presented, and the survey methodology is described. Questionnaires were sent to 1,044 professionals and paraprofessionals in March 1979; 355 responded, and 23 of these were excluded from the study. A total of 183 respondents reported a citing of elder abuse within the past 18 months. Only 24 percent of the abuse citings came to the respondent's attention through the victim. A major portion of the citings were from personal observation by the respondent (24 percent) or by a coworker (19 percent). Victim injuries most often reported were bruises and/or welts (44 percent). Debilitating mental anguish was the second most frequent form of abuse (40 percent), with other types of injuries recorded less frequently. Results indicate that the largest victim group consisted of elders over 80, with 66 citings. Eighty percent of abused elders were females, and 75 percent of those abused were mentally or physically disabled. Four references, 28 tables, and an appendix containing the survey instrument are provided.