Elderly Abuse and Neglect

Elderly abuse is known to occur for more than a thousand years. Elderly abuse has been defined as acts directed towards the elderly that result in physical, psychological, sexual abuse and financial exploitation or acts of omissions such as neglect. One in four vulnerable elders are at risk of abuse, and only a small proportion of them are detected. Dependent elders are particularly susceptible to mistreatment. Clinician’s reluctance to report victims and their lack of awareness of warning signs are factors for underreporting. Awareness of the risk factors and clinical manifestations and a high degree of suspicion will provide early detection of elder mistreatment. Special attention to ‘hidden’ signals and in certain situations may signal high risk. Screening is the most important of the primary intervention strategies for the detection of elder abuse. Intervention strategies can include a wide range of services. This chapter provides an overview of this complex condition and its prevalence and the recognition of hidden signals and identifies the factors influencing intervention.