New Study on Elder Abuse

A new study conducted at the University of Chicago concludes that nearly 13 percent of America's older adults suffer some form of abuse.

* 9 percent reported they have suffered from verbal mistreatment
* 3.5 percent from financial mistreatment
* 0.2 percent from physical mistreatment

The team of researchers, headed by Edward O. Laumann, Ph.D., based their findings on interviews with more than 3,000 community-dwelling residents aged 57 to 85.

Laumann said: "The population of the country is aging, and people now live with chronic diseases longer, So it is important to understand, from a health perspective, how people are being treated as they age."

According to the study, older adults who are physically impaired are particularly susceptible to abuse. They are 13 percent more likely to experience verbal mistreatment than those without similar handicaps. Females are nearly twice as likely to report verbal mistreatment, but no higher level of financial mistreatment, than men.

* Most abused older adults report that the mistreatment was perpetrated by someone other than a member of their immediate family.
* More than half said the mistreating party was someone other than a spouse, parent or child.
* 26 percent identified their spouse or romantic partner as the person responsible.

* A total of 56 percent of those who reported financial mistreatment said that someone other than a member of their immediate family was responsible.

At the federal level, the issue is also being recognized. U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, said, "Our nation has for far too long turned its back on the shame of elder abuse."

Full Article and Source:
Barbara Quirk: Elder abuse on rise, but so is response