Elder Abuse and Neglect

Elder abuse and neglect covers a single or repeated act, or a lack of appropriate action, within any relationship where trust is expected, that causes harm or distress to an older person. The World Health Organization counts physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse, financial and material abuse, abandonment, neglect and serious loss of dignity and respect as forms of it, and treats it as a violation of human rights. A 2017 review of 52 studies in 28 countries estimated that about 1 in 6 people aged 60 and older, or 15.7 percent, were subjected to some form of abuse in the past year, and rates are high in institutions such as nursing homes, where 2 in 3 staff reported committing abuse.