Exploring Elder Abuse: A Narrative Review

Abstract

There are various types of abuse, including physical, emotional, psychological, sexual, financial, and neglectful abuse. About 1 in 10 older adults who live at home endure abuse, including neglect and exploitation. A review of the literature on PubMed using keywords Elder abuse; Elder neglect; Old age home; Long-term assisted care facilities was done. No formal exclusion or inclusion criteria were followed. It was found that the abuse of older people is a very common problem and often goes unreported due to varied reasons. Further, no formal screening guidelines and management protocols are available if an abuse is suspected. Therefore, skilled caregivers must identify and screen abuse nonjudgmentally to prevent it from worsening.