Examining the Role of Substance Abuse in Elder Mistreatment: Results From Mistreatment Investigations

Substance abuse has long been identified as a risk factor for elder mistreatment, yet research on the topic remains sparse. This study tested hypotheses whether perpetrator and victim substance use problems were associated with financial exploitation, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect versus no abuse. Cross-sectional data were collected on 948 cases with yes/no substantiation decisions where 357 cases had no abuse in elder mistreatment investigations. Hypotheses were tested using odds ratios, bivariate, and multiple linear regression analyses including a control for victim vulnerability. Of 948 alleged victims, 42 (4.4%) exhibited signs of substance use problems. Among the 323 alleged perpetrators, 87 (26.9%) were reported to have substance use problems. Substance use problems by alleged perpetrators were associated ( p < .01) with financial exploitation, physical abuse, and emotional abuse but not neglect. Substance use problems by alleged victims were associated with neglect, but not the other types. Alleged perpetrators with substance use problems tended to commit multiple forms of abuse, were male and not caregivers. Except for the findings on neglect, the associations with elder mistreatment were stronger for alleged perpetrators with substance use problems, than for alleged victims. Clarification of the role of perpetrator risk factors such as substance abuse should improve risk identification and subsequent intervention.

Prevalência de violência por parceiro íntimo em idosos e fatores associados: revisão sistemática

Resumo Este artigo tem por objetivo identificar a prevalência de violência por parceiro íntimo (VPI) em idosos e seus fatores associados. Realizou-se revisão sistemática de estudos transversais de base populacional nas bases de dados PubMed, Lilacs e PsycInfo, sem restrições quanto ao período e idioma de publicação. Dois revisores independentes conduziram a seleção, extração dos dados e análise de qualidade metodológica. Dezenove artigos foram selecionados para análise. Houve variação do tipo de violência, sexo dos entrevistados e instrumentos utilizados. A maioria dos estudos apresentou qualidade metodológica moderada ou alta. A VPI ocorreu em homens e mulheres idosos, sendo mais prevalentes a violência psicológica e o abuso econômico. Os fatores associados mais frequentes foram o consumo de álcool, depressão, baixa renda, comprometimento funcional e exposição pregressa à violência.

Aging in the Shadow of Violence: A Phenomenological Conceptual Framework for Understanding Elderly Women Who Experienced Lifelong IPV

This article suggests a heuristic framework for understanding elderly women's "lived experience" of lifelong intimate partner violence (IPV). This framework is based on the phenomenological qualitative studies of 31 women, aged 60-83, using a semistructured interview guide. From the results, a matrix emerged built on two axes. The first axis consists of three phenomenological dimensions: suffering, a "ticking clock," and life wisdom. The second axis consists of four themes that emerged from the content analysis: loneliness, regret, being in a state of waiting, and being a living monument to perpetual victimhood. The practical implications of these phenomenological findings are then discussed.

Intimate Partner Violence in Late Life

This integrated review of the empirical literature synthesizes a decade of scientific research across scholarly and professional publications addressing intimate partner violence (IPV) in late life. Deriving insights through a qualitative coding scheme and detailed analysis of 57 empirical sources, we discuss the theoretical frameworks, conceptual themes, and methodological approaches that cut across the literature. Based on these findings, we identify future research directions for improved understanding of late-life IPV as well as implications for policy development and refined community interventions.

Elder abuse: a systematic review of risk factors in community-dwelling elders

OBJECTIVE

to undertake a systematic literature review of risk factors for abuse in community-dwelling elders, as a first step towards exploring the clinical utility of a risk factor framework. Search strategy and selection criteria: a search was undertaken using the MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and PsycINFO databases for articles published in English up to March 2011, to identify original studies with statistically significant risk factors for abuse in community-dwelling elders. Studies concerning self-neglect and persons aged under 55 were excluded.

RESULTS

forty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria, with 13 risk factors being reproducible across a range of settings in high-quality studies. These concerned the elder person (cognitive impairment, behavioural problems, psychiatric illness or psychological problems, functional dependency, poor physical health or frailty, low income or wealth, trauma or past abuse and ethnicity), perpetrator (caregiver burden or stress, and psychiatric illness or psychological problems), relationship (family disharmony, poor or conflictual relationships) and environment (low social support and living with others except for financial abuse).

CONCLUSIONS

current evidence supports the multifactorial aetiology of elder abuse involving risk factors within the elder person, perpetrator, relationship and environment.

Making sense of intimate partner violence in late life: comments from online news readers

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into public awareness of intimate partner violence (IPV) in late life by how individuals respond to incidents of IPV reported in the newspaper.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Using grounded theory techniques, online news items covering 24 incidents of IPV in late life, and the reader comments posted to them were analyzed. The news items were examined for incident details, story framing, and reporting style. An open coding process (Charmaz, K. [2006]. Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.) was used to generate a comprehensive understanding of themes and patterns in the comments posted by readers.

RESULTS

Few posters indicated that incidents were episodes of IPV. As many posters struggled to make sense of incidents, they attempted to remove guilt from the perpetrator by assigning blame elsewhere. Comments were influenced by personal assumptions and perspectives about IPV, relationships, and old age; reporting style of the news items; and comments posted by other posters.

IMPLICATIONS

Altering public views of IPV in late life requires raising awareness through education, reframing the ways in which information is presented, and placing greater emphasis on the context of the violence. By engaging interactive news media, reporters, participatory journalists, and policymakers can enhance public recognition and understanding of IPV in late life.