Aboriginal Elder Abuse

Elder abuse is a catch-all phrase that refers to a variety of ways by which caregivers and other people in power-positions relative to the elderly can mistreat them. Elder abuse includes, but is not limited to: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, spiritual abuse financial abuse, abandonment and neglect. Elders refer to seniors, though the definition of senior can be fluid. In the general populations, seniors are generally those age 65 and older, but because of differential life expectancies and cultural differences, some researchers refer to elders in the aboriginal community as those aged 55 and older (Dumont-Smith, 2002). Abandonment is "abuse that occurs when the person who assumes the responsibility for providing care or who has physical custody abandons his or her duties to the elder" (Dumont-Smith, 2002). Physical abuse is "the use of physical force that can result in injury, pain and/or impairment" (Dumont-Smith, 2002)....
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