Elder Abuse

International and Cross-Cultural Perspectives

Here is an informative overview of the causes and consequences of elder abuse in countries around the world. This book delves into the global problem of elder abuse and identifies similarities and differences that occur from country to country. Elder Abuse: International and Cross-Cultural Perspectives increases understanding of the problem of elder abuse, helping you recognize more easily the causes of elder abuse in your own country and find tactics to counter these causes. Strategies from around the world can help in the development of local community resources and social policies to minimize the occurrence of elder abuse and its impact on the elderly, their families, and all members of society.

Elder Abuse: International and Cross-Cultural Perspectives discusses elder abuse in countries ranging from Australia to Finland, from South Africa to Hong Kong, from Ireland to Israel. It addresses the consequences of aging, dynamics of elder abuse, family care of the elderly, formal and informal mechanisms for preventing elder abuse, and methods by which to publicize possibilities of abuse. In each chapter, authors explore:

• the definition of elder abuse in their country

• the extent of the problem

• causes of the problem (as related to values and practices)

• societal attitudes regarding the existence of the problem

• private and public efforts to detect and prevent the problem and to intervene where it has occurred

  Elder Abuse: International and Cross-Cultural Perspectives provides the impetus for community resources, social planning, and public resources. It is of interest to individuals who work in social work, nursing, and psychology settings and to those in social science fields of sociology, anthropology, and gerontology. The book can also serve as an enlightening reader for undergraduate and graduate/professional education.