Elder Abuse

Types of Elder Abuse

There are several types of elder ANE. One type is neglect by a caregiver; this is the refusal or failure to provide essential needs (e.g., food or assistance with finances). A second type of ANE is self-neglect, which is an adult's inability due to physical or mental impairment or capacity to take care of him- or herself. Because of stereotypes about [Page 254]the aging, those who are uninformed about elder ANE may assume that most elder problems are instances of self-neglect. A third ANE type is financial exploitation, which refers to improper, illegal, or unauthorized use of assets or property for benefit of the perpetrator. A fourth type of ANE, physical abuse, is the most visible form of abuse. It involves restrictive or intrusive behavior intended to effect power or control over another. Those outside of the professional ranks of elder care often may fail to consider the improper use of medication in order to control behavior and/or confine the elderly. A common stereotype is that seniors need to be medicated to keep them from “being a nuisance.” A fifth ANE type is sexual abuse, which is any unwanted or illegal sexual act on another. Both society and seniors themselves may accept the stereotype that seniors are not viable targets of sexual abuse. Sexual assault of seniors may be intended to instill fear and a sense of powerlessness and to carry out a further goal of enabling the perpetrator to gain access to the victim's house, car, or financial resources.

Elder Abuse and Race

Research and other information on elder abuse and race are limited for several reasons. First, there is not enough interest in this topic among criminologists. Second, elder abuse is difficult to uncover because of the underreporting of what many view as a private matter. Third, victims may be reluctant to report abuse to police and social service agencies. The effect, if any, of race and institutional racism on ANE of the elderly is impacted by both historical inequities associated with education and the lack of access to information about care for the elderly. Anthropologists and geneticists have made clear that “race” is a social (rather than biological) construct; thus, notions that ANE of elderly is connected with racial propensities to either inflict or receive ANE are questionable. Any discussion of race and elder ANE must recognize that cultural norms play a role in how communities and individuals perceive this issue. Historically, lack of awareness of financial matters is tied to cumulative disadvantage and lower rates of disposable income. Often this means that financial aspects of ANE are not openly discussed. It is important to avoid generalizing about race and elder abuse. Practitioners involved with ANE must consider racial realities for majority and minority elderly, taking into account historical legacies, cultural norms, and differences along racial lines of existing resources.

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