Some people may think that elder abuse is unique to modern-day Western cultures, a product of the break-down of traditional family structure and values. In fact, elder abuse is a phenonomen found throughout history and around the world. In some under-developed countries (and for much of human history), few people live to an advanced age and elder abuse was rarely seen simply because there were few elders. However, all countries, even those with a small elderly population, report some cases of mistreatment of vulnerable older adults. In our own society, before pension plans existed, many elderly people had no source of income once they were no longer able to work. These elders would usually move in with an adult child and were sometimes subjected to abuse or neglect.
We still don’t know a great deal about elder abuse cross-culturally. Most of the studies on elder abuse originate from North America and the United Kingdom, and even in these countries, research on elder abuse only dates back about 15 years or so. Although research on elder abuse in other locations is sparse, it is beginning to be acknowledged as a social problem in many countries. All forms of elder abuse have been reported world-wide, although people in cultures that emphasize non-aggressive behaviour are less likely to physically abuse their elderly.
PAGE BACK
This site was funded and is owned by the
Sudbury Elder Abuse Committee, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.