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Publication #FAR6014

 

Elder Abuse1

Suzanna Smith2

Figure 1. 
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Often when we hear about family violence, we think about child abuse and neglect. Yet "each year hundreds of thousands of older persons are abused, neglected and exploited," according to the U.S. Administration on Aging (2004, ¶ 1).

An estimated 1 to 2 million Americans 65 or older have been abused "by someone on whom they depended for care or protection" (Committee on National Statistics, 2003, ¶ 1).

Older adults may be physically, sexually, or even emotionally abused. Most often, they are neglected when the caregiver fails to provide the food, shelter, and health care the elder needs. Another form of abuse is financial or material exploitation, where the caregiver or someone else illegally takes or misuses the funds or assets of an older person (American Psychological Association 2006; National Center on Elder Abuse, 2002).

In an estimated 90% of cases, the perpetrator is a family member, usually the adult children or spouse of the victim who may be exhausted and stressed from taking care of the elder and doesn't have the information, skills, or help she or he needs. There may also be a history of violence in the family, or tension from having the older person in the home (American Psychological Association, 2006).

If you think you know an older person who may be abused, call your state's Adult Protective Services unit or the state's abuse hotline. If you are a caregiver, watch your own stress, ask someone to give you a needed break, and contact your local Area Agency on Aging or elder care services for help getting the resources you need. If you are being abused, talk to someone you can safely confide in, such as a member of the clergy or your doctor (Administration on Aging, 2004; American Psychological Association, 2006).

Listening, learning, and living together: it's the science of life. "Family Album" is a co-production of University of Florida IFAS Extension, the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, and of WUFT-FM. If you'd like to learn more, please visit our website at http://www.familyalbumradio.org.

To listen to the radio broadcast:

http://www.radiosource.net/radio_stories/438%20-%20Elder%20abuse.mp3

http://www.radiosource.net/radio_stories/438%20-%20Elder%20abuse.wav

References

Administration on Aging. (2004). Elder abuse prevention fact sheet. [Delinked 22 October 2012] http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov/press/fact/alpha/fact_elder_abuse.asp.

American Psychological Association. (2006). Elder abuse and neglect: In search of solutions. Retrieved May 17, 2006, from http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/eldabuse.html.

Committee on National Statistics. (2002). Elder mistreatment: Abuse, neglect, and exploitation in an aging America. Retrieved May 17, 2006, from http://www.nap.edu/books/0309084342/html/.

Footnotes

1.

This document is FAR6014, one of a series of the Family Youth and Community Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Broadcast as program 438. Published April 2009. Reviewed March 2012. In the interest of time and/or clarity, the broadcast version of this script may have been modified. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Suzanna Smith, associate professor, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, Dean.