Before you can evaluate if elder abuse has occurred, it is important to understand the various dimensions of elder abuse.

Physical Abuse

• Physical abuse is infliction of physical harm and injury. This includes direct, aggressive behaviours such as bodily assault and torture, physical restraint or confinement, or sexual molestation.

Psychological Abuse

• Psychological abuse can be verbal aggression such as intimidation, humiliation, making unreasonable demands and deliberate ignoring. This includes actions that cause fear of violence, isolation or deprivation, feelings of shame, harassment, threat and insults.

Neglect

• Neglect can be classified as deliberate refusal to provide the elderly person with basic needs i.e. failure to provide food, shelter, clothing, medical care and financial support.

Abandonment

• Abandonment is a deliberate attempt to desert an elderly person.

Financial Abuse

• Financial abuse is the exploitation and/or illegal use of the elderly person's funds or resources. It includes misappropriation of money, valuables or property belonging to the elderly person.

Click on the URL to view the booklet on 'Understanding Elder Abuse and Neglect - Detecting and Helping'.  The booklet explains what is elder abuse and neglect, characterises the abusers and victims, provides information on legal provisions; signs and symptoms of abuse; and how to help abused elderly. 

The booklet also describes the roles of the Elder Protection Team which handles elder abuse cases requiring multi-agency intervention.  The team comprises professionals with knowledge in geriatrics, psychiatry, psychology, gero-counselling and social work.  It is spearheaded by TRANS Centre, a Voluntary Welfare Organisation specialising in family violence work.