Distressing Aspects of Elder Abuse Victimization: Perspective of Survivors

Objectives: Our understanding of elder abuse (EA) phenomena has largely been shaped from the perspective of researchers and professionals whose conceptualizations often differ from the perceptions of older adults who experience mistreatment. This study sought to understand the most distressing aspects of EA victimization from the perspective of survivors.

Methods: Using a descriptive phenomenological approach, individual interviews were conducted with a diverse sample (n = 32) of EA survivors, recruited from EA support and Adult Protective Services programs in New York City and Los Angeles. Analysis followed a constant comparison process involving two independent coders to understand distressing aspects of EA victimization.

Results: The following themes emerged as the most distressing aspects of EA victimization: fear, disbelief, disrespect, concern for perpetrator and other family members, feelings of loss, and incongruity between survivor wishes and systemic responses. Distressing aspects of EA victimization spanned personal, relational, and systemic levels of ecological influence.

Conclusions: Findings from this study advance basic knowledge on EA phenomena and carry direct implications for programs designed to support and meet the needs of survivors.

Clinical implications: Findings identify particularly distressing psycho-emotional aspects of EA victimization for clinicians interacting with survivors that can serve as targets of intervention.