Elder abuse refers to intentional or neglectful acts by a caregiver or “trusted” individual that lead to, or may lead to, harm of a vulnerable elder.
How Common Is Elder Abuse?
According to the Department of Justice, a minimum of 1 in 9 or 11% percent of Americans over age 60 have experienced some form of elder abuse in the past year. But many cases go unreported. For every one case of elder abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect reported to authorities, at least five more go unreported.
Who Commits Elder Abuse?
In almost 90% of the elder abuse and neglect incidents with a known perpetrator, the perpetrator is a family member. Two-thirds of the perpetrators are adult children or spouses.
Financial Abuse
Elder financial abuse is regarded as the third most commonly substantiated type of elder abuse, following neglect and emotional/psychological abuse. While underreported, the annual financial loss by victims of elder financial abuse is estimated to be at least $2.6 billion dollars.
To learn more, please download the Elder Abuse Fact Sheet from the National Council on Aging and Witness.org
