Any elderly person may become the victim of abuse. Males and females of any income level, any cultural or ethnic group, persons in good health or persons incapacitated in some way may be abused by someone close to them.
The 1999 General Socialization Survey (GSS) indicated that approximately 7% of older adults living in a private dwelling in Canada had recently suffered one or more forms of abuse or neglect. This is almost 1 in every 15 seniors.
Who are the abusers?
The abusers can be anyone, but they are most commonly family members with whom the abused person is living. In a small Alberta study conducted in 1985, over half the elderly people reported to have been abused were living with the persons who abuse them.