elder abuse
Elder abuse is a single or repeated act (or lack of proper action) by a responsible individual which causes harm or distress to an older person.


Types of elder abuse
There are several types of abuse of the elderly:

Physical: e.g. hitting, punching, slapping, burning, pushing, restraining or giving too much medication or the wrong medication.
Psychological: e.g. shouting, swearing, frightening, blaming, ignoring or humiliating a person; also common is threatening to place the person in a nursing home even though the person's physical or mental condition may not require such an action.
Financial: e.g. illegal or unauthorised use of a person’s property, money, pension book or other valuables (including changing the person's will to name the abuser as heir), often fraudulently obtaining power of attorney, followed by deprivation of money or other property, or by eviction from own home.
Sexual: e.g. forcing a person to take part in any sexual activity without his or her consent.
Neglect: e.g. where a person is deprived of food, heat, clothing or comfort or essential medication.
Rights abuse: denying the civil and constitutional rights of people who are old, but not declared by court to be mentally incapacitated.
Self neglect: elders neglecting themselves by not caring about their own health or safety.

Common abusers of the elderly
Perpetrators of elder abuse can include anyone in a position of control or authority. An abuser can be a partner, a relative, a friend or neighbor, a volunteer worker, or a social worker.

It is estimated each year 1 million elderly Americans are physically, psychologically, sexually or financially abused by relatives.[1] The true number of elder abuse incidents by relatives is difficult to estimate because of the discretion maintained among family members. This is highlighted by the fact that more than 70% of abuse cases are reported by third parties.

The relative that is the perpetrator of the abuse is usually the spouse (59%) rather than the children (24%). Unexpectedly, the abused person is usually not dependent upon the abuser, but rather the abuser is dependent upon the abused. Such abuse usually comes during retirement when the relative faces difficulties with changed living patterns that accompanies the stress of constant companionship. With the aging of today's population, elder abuse will naturally increase. The family is society's most violent institution and location for elderly abuse.[2] The most common form of elder abuse is simply neglect and lack of care.