Elder abuse includes neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, exploitation, and abandonment.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define “elder abuse” as “any abuse and neglect of persons age 60 and older by a caregiver or another person in a relationship involving an expectation of trust.”
Research indicates that more than one in ten elders may experience some type of abuse, but only one in 23 cases are reported. This means that very few seniors who have been abused get the help they need. One thing is for certain: elder abuse can happen to any older individual – your neighbor, your loved one – it can even happen to you.