Article 22 "Understanding Elder Abuse and Neglect" by Rosalie Wolf, several kinds of abuse are discussed and characterized from the perspective of the victims and the perpetrator and are delineated for both.
It is important to know that cases of abuse are highly correlated to the frailty, disability and dependency of the victim. Most victims have been categorized as dependant older women who are mistreated by well meaning, but overburdened daughters. In order to prevent such treatment most states have passed legislation that is modeled after current child abuse statutes and upholds reporting such mistreatments. Although most situations do not fit into this model of legislation, it is believed that spousal abuse would prove to be a better frame work to follow because the people involved are legally independent.
Another approach is to analyze elder abuse from an inadequate care perspective. Characteristics of this problem are as follows: unhealthy dependency of the abuser on the victim, the disturbed psychological state of the perpetrator, the frailty, disability or impairment of the victim and isolation of the family. Alcohol is also present in a significant number of these elder abuse cases.
Physical and psychological abusers are likely to have a history of psycho-apathy and to be dependent on the victim for financial resources. The recipients of this form of abuse are in poor emotional health but are relatively independent in their activities in daily life.
Victims of neglect are more likely to be widowed, very old, cognitively and physically impaired, with few social contacts. For the perpetrators of neglect the victims are a source of stress.
Victims of financial abuse are generally unmarried or widowed and have little or no social contacts. The risk factors seem to be the financial need or greed of the abuser and the loneliness of the victim.
Characteristics of abusers were also discussed in the article.
