title: Older women's descriptions and understandings of their abusers.
abstract: Thirty-eight women who were in abusive relationships since age 55 years were interviewed to understand their abuse stories, ways of coping, and health care experiences. In responding to these questions, women described the nature of the abuse perpetrated by their elderly partners and tried to "make sense" of what they had experienced and to define "who" these men were. This took various forms, from personal theories about aging, to labels (ethnic stereotyping, demonizing, pathologizing) to characterizations of the abuser's private versus public behaviors. The authors explore the implications these findings have for assisting the elderly victim and perpetrator.
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Therese
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zink
authors.forename: C Jeffrey
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.forename: Saundra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Regan
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pabst
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D033262:Narration; D012649:Self Concept; D012747:Sexual Partners; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health