Elderly abuse: Research and prevention

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to present researches in the field of elder abuse, with focusing on their relevance for prevention. This is done through a systematic literature review. The number of elderly people has been increasing, including the number of people who are not capable of taking care about themselves and whose situation requires increased level of care and support. The necessity of an increased level of care puts the burden on the family and society, which can result in negligence, and even abuse of elder people. Research in the field of elderly abuse are rather rare. Existing research have been using different methodologies for determining the existance of abuse, some encompass people with dementia, while the others do not; most of the studies are based on small samples and are conducted in the community. The subject of the paper is a review of the research in the field of elder abuse, and an overview of the evidences that are highlighting the need for systemic screening of the elder abuse, prevention and intervention in this area. Screening should be introduced on the level of primary health care. This should be done, primarily, through enacting of screening protocols and training of professionals for their implementation. Professionals should be trained to recognize the signs of the problem and its consequences, and to intervene in cases of negligence or abuse.