title: Elder mistreatment in women.
abstract: Elder mistreatment is a serious syndrome that affects more than 1.5 million older Americans every year. Actions such as abuse, neglect, exploitation, and abandonment by caregivers, relatives, friends, or acquaintances can have devastating sequelae for the elderly. Such actions may be intentional or unintentional, but the detrimental outcomes for older individuals can destroy the elder's quality of life and health. A lack of empirical research addresses gender differences in elder mistreatment. There is also confusion and debate over what constitutes elder mistreatment in older women versus what is domestic violence that has continued into later life. Professional nurses need to include both types of screening for their older female patients in order to address both types of family violence.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nursing, Steinhardt School of Education, New York University, New York 10003-6677, USA. terryfulmer.don@nyu.edu
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fulmer
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guadagno
authors.forename: Marguarette M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Bolton
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004552:Elder Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012947:Social Work; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000592:standards*