NCJ Number
182815
Journal
Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: 1999 Pages: 81-94
Editor(s)
Rosalie S. Wolf Ph.D.,
Susan M. Anderson
Date Published
1999
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Recognizing recent studies on elder abuse suggest the pathology or impairment of the abuser may be a stronger predictor of elder abuse than characteristics of the victim, this survey by the New York City Department for the Aging (DFTA) examined the relationship between elder abuse, abuser pathology, and the criminal justice system.
Abstract
The survey involved older victims of reported domestic abuse who sought assistance from the Elderly Crime Victims Resource Center of the DFTA. Interviews completed between June and November 1998 collected demographic, mental health, and clinical information on both abusers and victims in 401 cases included within the survey period. Impaired abusers were significantly younger than unimpaired abusers and were more likely to live with their elderly victims, to be unemployed, and to have a history of involvement in the criminal justice system. Psychological abuse was the most frequently reported type of abuse (54 percent), followed by financial abuse (51 percent), physical abuse (28 percent), and neglect (19 percent). Of abusers, 74 percent were identified as mentally impaired and 26 percent were identified as unimpaired. About half were identified as substance abusers, and 26 percent were identified as mentally ill. Approximately 70 percent of abuse victims agreed to accept one or more of the following services: police intervention (28 percent), case management (19 percent), protection order (12 percent), lock replacement (11 percent), counseling (9 percent), mobile crisis services (8 percent), housing assistance (8 percent), eviction of the abuser (7 percent), and financial management (6 percent). Survey data highlighted the significant connection between mental health issues and perpetrators of elder abuse. Implications of the findings for programs to assist mentally ill abusers and to protect elderly family members are discussed. 22 references and 3 tables