Characterizing Elder Abuse in the UK: A Description of Cases Reported to a National Helpline

Abstract

The abuse of older adults by someone in a position of trust—also known as elder abuse (EA)—has a severe impact on victims and society. However, knowledge about EA in the UK is limited in comparison to other types of interpersonal violence and international knowledge. The present study utilized secondary data from a UK national EA helpline to investigate the characteristics of reported cases. Over a one-year period between 2017 and 2018, 1,623 records met inclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics are provided to describe this sample. Most cases reported to the helpline pertained to female victims, suffering from financial or psychological abuse. Co-occurrence of different abuse types was common. Findings provide updated knowledge about the phenomenology of EA cases in the UK. Recommendations are provided for advancing research in this area, including the need for examining cases across longer periods of time with a view to informing practice and policy.