Every month, one in 10 older adults worldwide experience some form of abuse. But with only 1 in 24 cases of elder abuse reported, the true figures are likely to be much greater. And with an increasing aging population in the United States and beyond, so will be the problem. By 2050, the global population of people aged 60 and older is predicted will more than double, from 900 million in 2015 to about 2 billion.
Experts report that knowledge about elder abuse lags as much as two decades behind the fields of child abuse and domestic violence. Limited past research means limited data to guide practitioners, policymakers, and trainers. What we do know now is alarming: elders who experience a form of abuse, even modest abuse, have a reported 300% higher risk of death. Even verbal abuse has been linked to seniors’ physical health issues and well-being.
With resource constraints in a constantly aging population, a once-hidden problem will be impossible to overlook. But as more studies come to light – and as state Adult Protective Services data show an uptick in the reporting of incidents – elder abuse has emerged as an important social public health issue. But whatever the statistics for the U.S. and beyond, researchers do agree that elder abuse is an epidemic. Read more here.