About Elder Abuse

Elder abuse is a widespread phenomenon, which is becoming increasingly significant because of the ageing of the population. There are many different forms and it is not easy to find one inclusive definition of the term elder abuse.

Definition

The question of what elder abuse means Europe wide is a difficult one. Up until this point no method has been developed to extensively measure elder abuse in an international context, partly due to the fact that different countries give different means to the term elder abuse and the context in which the abuse takes place. Therefore, no single inclusive definition exists to explain what constitutes elder abuse in the international context. However, some attempts have been made to come to a comprehensive definition of elder abuse. One of these is the definition given by the Council of Europe (1992). The Council defines elder abuse as ‘A non-accidental act or omission, which undermines the life, the physical and psychological integrity of an older person or harms the development of his or her personality and or undermines or damages his or her financial security.’ Another definition is that of "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", given by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2002).

Forms of elder abuse

What is constitutes elder abuse varies from country to country. Therefore, some countries might not recognize some of the definitions given below or might want to extend the list with additional forms of elder abuse. Most commonly, the following six forms are listed as elder abuse.