NCJ Number
126169
Date Published
1989
Length
194 pages
Annotation
Older persons are especially vulnerable to certain kinds of abuse at the hands of family members; such abuse can be defined and its interventions evaluated.
Abstract
The first part of the book describes factors that have contributed to the growing concern about elder abuse and neglect and presents a historical account of domestic violence. Abuse and neglect are defined, and prevalence studies of elder abuse and neglect are reviewed. Five risk factors for elder abuse and neglect, drawn from the sociological, psychological, and gerontological literature on family relations, are identified: intra-individual dynamics, intergenerational transmission of violent behavior, dependency and exchange relations between abusing and abused persons, external stress, and social isolation. The second part of the book focuses on victims, perpetrators, and the abuse situation itself. With the exception of the intergenerational transmission of violent behavior, support is presented for all risk factors. Comparative analyses demonstrate profiles of elder abuse; physical and psychological abuse in which the victim suffers from emotional problems but is relatively independent, neglect of older victims who are very dependent, and material abuse where perpetrators have financial problems. Case material is also presented to illustrate the scope of conflicts between victims and perpetrators. Detailed findings are presented from 328 cases of elder abuse and neglect, 3 model projects, and a case control study involving 42 victims. Practical and policy implications of various treatment strategies are discussed. 137 references and 22 tables