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What is Elder Abuse?

According to the Report of the Working Group on Elder Abuse from 2002 entitled 'Protecting Our Future', elder abuse is defined as:

"a single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action occuring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person or violates their human and civil rights".

Abuse may be categorised under physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial/material abuse, neglect (by omission or commission) and discriminatory abuse. Elder abuse and neglect are being increasingly identified as international social problems in a growing older population. International studies estimate the prevalence of abuse in the community at between 1% to 5% of the population aged 65 years and older, however, these figures are regarded as an underestimate.

The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study was a landmark study in the US which investigated the numbers of elders abused or neglected. The study accounted for both officially reported cases and those observed by specially recruited sentinels.

The following is a summary of the findings:

• An incidence rate of 1.6% was found.
• Family members were the most common perpetrators of elder abuse.
• The incidence of abuse and/or neglect increased with increasing age and was more common in women and in elders who were unable to care for themselves.
• The findings of the study supported the validity of the iceberg theory of elder abuse that while the most visible types of abuse and neglect may be reported, a large number of incidents go unidentified and unreported.
• The study identified social isolation as a factor which may both hinder the detection and increase the risk of abuse and neglect.
• Educating health professionals and caregivers in how to recognise and report the signs and symptoms of elder abuse and neglect was identified by the report as paramount.

Elder abuse is a complex social and economic issue. Therefore there is a need for further research to ascertain the complexity of elder abuse and the need to tackle the problems of inequality and lack of accessibility to community services by older people.

In Ireland, this can be achieved through the creation of a knowledge base of Irish and international research on the occurrence, prevalence, detection and response to the abuse of older people. This is envisaged as a primary role of the National Centre for the Protection of Older People

If you are concerned about Elder Abuse please click here.

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