Elder Abuse

The problem of elder abuse came to the attention of professionals and the public in the 1970s, as dramatic media reports of mistreatment of older persons led to government hearings and state legislation. Early research on the topic confirmed the extent of abuse and neglect of older people. Over the ensuing four decades, increasing attention has been paid to elder abuse, both in private homes and in residential settings. Acknowledging the importance of the issue, elder abuse in recent years has been highlighted by governmental and voluntary organizations around the world as a prevalent and damaging problem. With the global expansion of the older population, elder abuse is a growing problem worldwide, affecting millions of individuals in later life. This entry reviews the prevalence of, ...