Elder Abuse Case Studies

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Elder Abuse: Five Case Studies
Introduction
Although in 1980 there was a rise in elder abuse, abuse among the elderly population still exists today (Barnett, Miller-Perrin & Perrin, 2011). It is a serious social issue that plagues our society. In my opinion, domestic violence is never acceptable. However, in the elderly population it is one of the most unaddressed issues. This is generally the case because of the victim’s relationship to their offender. The abuse can come from various individuals. It commonly comes from those in which the elderly person is in close contact, such as members of the family.
Main Points
The main points in Elder Abuse: Five Case Studies (1990) consists of: family violence (physical, mental/emotional, and financial …show more content…

However, many of them were fearful of their abuser which caused them distress such as in the case with Lucille. Lucille experience long-term psychological effects from her ex-husband whom she was married to for 16 years. Although Lucille and her husband divorce, she was never free from his abuse. After moving in with her daughter due to health concerns, her husband was her caregiver while her daughter was away. After complaining of the treatment she received from her ex-husband her daughter felt that she needed to “deal with it”. This eventually led to Lucille having a stroke and moving in with another child. Her ex-husband followed. However, Lucille can no longer complain of the treatment she receives from her ex-husband, due to her loss of mobility and speech after her stroke. Pat and Norman also experienced long-term psychological effects of the abuse. Norman was isolated from society by his family and Pat died from the massive heart attack. Conclusion Elder abuse is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. It is one in which society should not turn a blind eye. According to the social learning theory, children who are exposed to family violence are more likely to believe it is acceptable (Barnett, Miller-Perrin & Perrin, 2011). Therefore, it is our job as a society to work towards bringing awareness to family violence so that cycles of abuse can come to an