Tolerance of Elder Abuse and Attitudes Toward Third-Party Intervention Among African American,Korean American,and White Elderly

SUMMARY

Studies have found that professionals and the lay public differ consistently from one another in the ways in which they perceive elder abuse. A potential variable that may explain this observed difference is cultural norms among ethnic groups. Using 18 statements, this study examined similarities and differences among elderly from three ethnic groups in their tolerance for potential elder abuse, perceptions regarding perpetrators and the causes of elder abuse, and attitudes toward third-party intervention and reporting of elder abuse to the authorities. Results suggest that while African American and White elderly are remarkably similar in their responses to most statements, Korean American elderly differed significantly from the other two groups in their tolerance for medical mistreatment, financial exploitation and neglect, perceptions of causes, and attitudes toward reporting elder abuse. These findings have implications for understanding potential barriers to preventive outreach efforts, investigation, and intervention in cases of elder abuse in a culturally diverse community.     

Elder Abuse: Feminist and Ageist Perspectives

ABSTRACT

Elder abuse research reports little consensus regarding gender and age. This project examined 99 incidents of elder abuse by an adult child and 86 incidents of elder abuse by a spouse, and compared the groups using the variables: gender, age, and incidents. The results are discussed from a feminist and age perspective. Differences between the groups were found, namely that elder abuse by an adult child is most likely to be financial abuse. Traditional ideas about women and men, as well as ideas about the nature of the old were found to be factors in elder abusive relationships.     

Perceptions of Adult Protective Services Workers of the Support Provided by Criminal Justice Professionals in a Case of Elder Abuse

ABSTRACT

This paper summarizes results of a 1997 survey of adult protective services workers in 43 states. The survey yielded ratings of police and victim assistants in detecting and treating elder abuse and estimates of the likelihood that criminal justice professionals would provide ten forms of assistance in a case of elder abuse. Respondents also reported the most helpful services supplied by criminal justice professionals, the services that were most difficult to obtain, and overall ratings of criminal justice professionals in cases of elder abuse. Findings provide insights about relationships between adult protective services workers and criminal justice professionals.     

A Telephone Counseling Program for Elder Abuse in Japan

ABSTRACT

In the 21st century, one-fourth of the Japanese population will be 65 years and older. Not only is the duty to report elder abuse not defined by the law but there is no special organization with clinical facilities to respond to incidents of elder abuse. A report in 1994 by the Society for the Study of Elder Abuse (SSEA) showed the need for definitive social measures to prevent elder abuse. Based on that research, SSEA organized the Japan Elder Abuse Prevention Center and initiated a volunteer telephone counseling service “Help Line” that was available for several hours on Mondays. Within an 18 month period, 209 cases were handled of which 150 concerned abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. Callers were more often the elder or the daughter than other relatives or outsiders. Sons were the more prevalent perpetrators, and financial abuse the most common type of mistreatment reported. Recommendations include new laws and social welfare policies that adapt to the changes in an aging society.     

Elder Abuse and Neglect in an Urban Chinese Population

ABSTRACT

This study aims to investigate the prevalence of elder abuse and neglect in an urban Chinese population. A cross-sectional study was performed in a major urban medical center in NanJing, China. A total of 412 participants completed the survey and 145 (35%) participants screened positive for elder abuse and neglect. The mean age of the victims was 69 years and 59% were male. Caregiver neglect was the most common form of abuse, followed by financial exploitation, psychological abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and abandonment. Thirty-six percent of the victims suffered multiple forms of abuse and neglect. In the logistical regression analyses of the data, female gender, lower education and lower income were demographic risk factors associated with elder abuse and neglect. A better understanding of these and additional risk factors associated with elder abuse and neglect in older Chinese people is needed.     

Elder Abuse in Costa Rica

ABSTRACT

This paper describes how the problem of domestic elder abuse in Costa Rica is being perceived and acted upon by direct service providers and other professionals in the field of aging. Costa Rica is a small Central American democracy in which the family is the central institution and the sense of filial obligation is strong. In this cultural context elder abuse often takes the form of overprotection by family members who deprive elders of their autonomy. Although they suffer from this loss, elders frequently do not define it as abuse, making it difficult for professionals to intervene. A more serious concern was abandonment of elders by families (with or without intent to harm) since there are few facilities or resources to accommodate such elders. Overall we found a mixture, sometimes in the same person, of resignation in the face of a phenomenon that may come inevitably with modernization and committed activism. We illustrate the latter by describing the efforts of two Costa Rican organizations to prevent elder abuse.     

Tension and Conflict Factors in Second Marriages as Causes of Abuse Between Elderly Spouses

ABSTRACT

Data for the present research was derived from a pilot study on elder abuse by family members. The pilot study, conducted between 1996–98, is the first of its kind in Israel. From a population of 270 elders, who were identified by welfare and health professionals as victims of abuse by family members, 12 persons who had remarried after the death of a spouse were selected as subjects for an in-depth qualitative study. The research aimed at examining the reasons for abuse through the reports of the victims, comparing their experience to second marriages where spouse abuse was not detected. The findings showed that the decision to establish joint residence, financial arrangements (money management, wills and bequests), issues of power and control, and memories of the deceased spouse are the primary factors for abuse in these second marriages. These factors create situations of tension and conflict between married partners that lead to neglect in care giving, emotional and mental abuse, verbal and physical violence, and financial exploitation.     

Searching for Elder Abuse: A Systematic Review of Database Citations

ABSTRACT

The aim of this review was to describe trends and patterns in elder abuse literature and research. All citations in PUB MED, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases located using the search term “elder abuse” were retrieved (3,059 citations) and 2,418 unique references were identified. Using manifest content analysis, non-research material (1,986 references) was sorted by type and research references (34 dissertations and 398 research articles) were categorized. Research article references most commonly: (1) investigated prevalence, typology, and definitions of elder abuse; (2) utilized quantitative methodology; (3) had first author affiliations to medicine, nursing, and social sciences; and (4) sampled populations of professionals, personnel, cases, or charts. The USA was most frequently listed of 24 identified countries of origin. Elder abuse research shows lack of diversity, slow increase of qualitative research, limited involvement of older persons and family members as participants, and minimal research from developing countries. This review contributes to knowledge valuable for researchers and experts planning future studies or elder abuse projects.     

Korean American Elderly's Knowledge and Perceptions of Elder Abuse

ABSTRACT

“This study examines Korean American elders” perceptions of elder abuse and its perpetrators and explores cultural, as well as non-cultural influences on such perceptions. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 100 elderly Korean Americans, 60 years of age or older, residing in Los Angeles County. Respondents reported 46 abuse cases, categorized into the following six types: financial abuse (36%), psychological abuse (24%), culturally specific abuse (17%), neglect (15%), physical abuse (4%), and other (4%). Most respondents identified elder abuse in terms of abrogation of filial piety, suggesting the centrality of “children” in Korean American elders⁵ lives and well-being. Findings demonstrate that employing a uniform definition of elder abuse across all cultures and ethnic groups without attending to the cultural and subjective aspects of a given situation may result in missing problems and needs identified as important by the elderly themselves. Implications for social work practice and program development are discussed.     

Los Angeles County Fiduciary Abuse Specialist Team: A Model for Collaboration

ABSTRACT

The Fiduciary Abuse Specialist Team, sponsored by the County of Los Angeles Area Agencies on Aging, provides expert consultation and training to protective services and other practitioners in cases of elder financial abuse. Collaborative teams efforts facilitate prompt and well coordinated interventions.     

Awareness of Elder Abuse Among Community Health and Social Care Staff in Northern Ireland: An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT

This article reports on one of the first surveys of multi-disciplinary staff awareness of elder abuse in this region of the United Kingdom (UK). Forty staff from eight professional groups in the Southern Health and Services Board area were surveyed about their knowledge of elder abuse, the types of help they thought they could offer the abused and the abuser, and the level of abuse in their current caseload. Thirty-five per cent of respondents had cases of physical, psychological, financial, and sexual abuse as well as care-giver neglect of people aged 65 and over in their caseloads. The findings suggest that while staff had differing levels of awareness of elder abuse, further training is necessary.     

Elder Abuse in a Land of Tradition: The Case of Israel's Arabs

ABSTRACT

This study attempted to assess the scope and nature of elder abuse and neglect in one traditional group currently undergoing change: the Arabs in Israel. One hundred and twenty-eight human service and health professionals in northern Israel were asked to report about all cases of elder abuse and neglect they had encountered for a period of 18 months prior to the study. Findings showed that overall Arab elders in Israel have a 2.5% rate of abuse and neglect (excluding self neglect). This figure is somewhat lower than that reported in the literature for either developed or developing societies. Rates were higher in urban areas, somewhat lower in suburban areas, and lowest in isolated villages. These results lend some support to modernization theories of aging and elder abuse. The profile of the abused elder is not significantly different from that of his Western counterpart. Among alleged perpetrators, however, sons and daughters-in-law rank highest, reflecting cultural patterns in some traditional societies. The article makes some early recommendations in the area of worker training and service enhancement.     

Definitions of Elder Abuse in an Italian Sample

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to analyze definitions of elder abuse in an Italian convenience sample. Fifty-three Italian participants (15 males, 38 females) provided examples of mild, moderate, and extreme mistreatment of older individuals by their adult children. Analyses were conducted to identify frequently mentioned types of abuse and to determine how severe they were judged to be. Also examined was the extent to which gender and age contributed to response patterns. Most examples of extreme elder abuse made reference to physical abuse and neglect, while references to psychological aggression and neglect predominated as examples of moderate and mild abuse. Examples of neglect appeared with equal frequency at all levels of severity, but physical aggression was mentioned primarily as a form of extreme abuse, and psychological aggression was mentioned more frequently in examples of moderate and mild abuse. The most frequently identified types of specific abuse were abandonment, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, and psychological neglect. When giving examples of extreme abuse, females mentioned more instances of financial exploitation than males. They also gave more examples of verbal aggression and lack of respect as instances of moderate abuse and behaviors reflecting power or control as examples of mild abuse. A statistically significant negative relationship was found between age and the number of examples given of particular types of mistreatment at each of the levels of severity of abuse.     

Understanding and Combating Elder Abuse in Hispanic Communities

ABSTRACT

A knowledge of the conditions associated with elder abuse and the manner in which certain cultural factors influence the response to abuse can provide the foundation for developing prevention and treatment strategies. This article describes elder abuse and domestic violence in the context of Hispanic culture. Important aspects are examined: individual personalismo, lafamilia, commu-nidad, and The Church as they apply to the older generations and to current cohorts that have not been exposed to the majority culture for long periods. Combating abuse involves recognizing and incorporating the cultural strengths of the Hispanic community and empowering the community to create a society where all peoples can live con dignidad.     

An Overview of Elder Abuse and Neglect in Australia

ABSTRACT

Only relatively recently has the issue of elder abuse come to prominence in Australia. Until the late 1980s it was a hidden problem with little knowledge of its presence. Attention was drawn to elder abuse after the publication of a number of reports and research projects, allowing the development of responses at national and state levels. This paper gives an overview of the development of elder abuse as a social, legal and medical issue in Australia, and describes the diverse range of responses from the national, state and territory governments.     

Combating Elder and Dependent Adult Mistreatment: The Role of the Clinical Psychologist

ABSTRACT

Among the many different professionals who work to address elder and dependent adult mistreatment, the clinical psychologist performs a function that is not well documented. The experiences of a clinical psychologist attached to a medical response team and an elder abuse forensic center provide insight into this complex and multifaceted role. Case examples from an elder abuse forensic center illustrate the breadth of referral questions that a clinical psychologist addresses. This information may be of use to those who would argue that these services be made widely available to elder abuse professionals such as social workers, public guardians, and those in the criminal justice system. The case studies also may be useful for training purposes.     

Elder Abuse in Europe: An Overview of Recent Developments

ABSTRACT

Elder abuse is a global phenomenon. Despite recognition and action several decades ago in a number of countries, in many others the phenomena of abuse and neglect have been much more recently identified as in need of attention. This brief will discuss the situation relating to responses to and interventions in elder abuse that have been evolving in a number of countries in the European region, which are at different stages of development. The examples provided will assist in meeting the worldwide challenge that elder abuse presents.     

Elder Abuse in Residential Settings in Sweden

ABSTRACT

To investigate frequencies and types of elder abuse occurring in residential settings in two municipal areas of Sweden, nursing staff were asked to answer a questionnaire; 499 responded. The findings indicated that elder abuse involving the staff did occur. Eleven percent of the staff knew of situations of elder abuse and two percent admitted that they themselves had been abusive towards an elderly resident. Psychological and physical abuse related to caring activities were most common. In the specific situations reported, the abusers were mostly characterised as hot-tempered, exhausted, and burned out. The abused people were often mentally and/or physically handicapped and generally over 80 years old. Feelings such as powerlessness, anger towards the abuser, and compassion for the abused person were reported. To cope with the situation, they talked to each other or to the manager. They recommended more education and support as the main preventive strategy.     

Times of Transition: Elder Abuse and Neglect in Israel

ABSTRACT

The present paper addresses the advancement of research, policies, legislation, and practice experiences designed to deal with the phenomenon of elder abuse and neglect in Israel in times of transition. The paper presents a short overview of the demographic scene, reflecting population characteristics and needs that impact care giving as well as elder abuse and neglect. The developments of scientific knowledge and its accumulation, especially the empirical data from the first national survey on elder abuse and neglect are discussed. Further, legislative developments relating to four generational laws and the advancement of policies and innovative practice experiences are described and analyzed. Finally, future challenges in the field are identified.