Elder abuse also called elder mistreatment , senior abuse , abuse in later life , abuse of older adults , abuse of older women , and abuse of older men is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.
Elder abuse includes harms by people an older person knows or has a relationship with, such as a spouse, partner, or family member, a friend or neighbor, or people an older person relies on for services.
Many forms of elder abuse are recognized as types of domestic violence or family violence since they are committed by family members. Paid caregivers have also been known to prey on elderly patients. While a variety of circumstances are considered elder abuse, it does not include general criminal activities against older persons, such as home break-ins, robbery or muggings in the street, or "distraction burglary ," where a stranger distracts an older person at the doorstep while another person enters the property to steal.
Over the years, government agencies and community professional groups worldwide have specified elder abuse as a social problem. An increasing number of events are held across the globe on this day to raise awareness of elder abuse and highlight ways to challenge it.
In essence, elder abuse involves the use of power and control to harm the well-being and status of an older person. Although there are common themes of elder abuse across nations, elder abuse differs within nations according to the history, culture, and economic strength of older people, as well as the way older people are perceived.
