A further factor is the influence of the type or illness or disability in the elderly care receiver. Those who care for elders with cognitive dementing illnesses for example tend to be more prone to depression and other stress-related conditions than those who care for elders with other types of disability (Nerenberg, 2002, p
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)
There are established systemic barriers that work against the idea of redefining family and the legal importance of kinship relationships, even in communities that may already be working to redefine the social importance of those same kinship relationships. "The disentitling of indigenous women from governance, accomplished, in part, by the fraternal links created between indigenous and colonial men in these policies, divided indigenous kinship relations along hierarchical gender lines and led the way for the implementation of patriarchy and regulation of 'the aboriginal family' on a European bourgeois model" (Emberley, 2007)
The result is that very little is actually known about native elder abuse in Canada. This lack of knowledge has two consequences: "first, we have no idea of the size and nature of the problem of abuse and neglect in the community or in institutions; second, we do not know how to solve these problems or their attendant issues that have been masked by rhetoric and the recycling of information for the past 20 years" (McDonald, 2011)
Specific Issues Another specific issue to consider is that, currently, Canada is experiencing what many refer to as a fourth-wave of colonization. This fourth wave is "a medical wave, made up of professional caregivers, treatment centres, and others which encourage and provide so-called healing, based on the view of Aboriginal peoples as 'sick'" (Thira, 2006)
g., insults, blame, ridicule), (b) threats where no weapon is involved, or - some form of coercion, abandonment, or confinement (Adler & Denmark)
In fact, since the beginning of the first congressional investigation of elder abuse in 1978 (Olinger, 1991), every state has implemented some form of elder abuse reporting law with an agency designated to accept reports of suspected elder abuse, investigate such allegations, and provide intervention for the elderly victim (Bergeron & Gray, 2003). The American Medical Association (AMA) also issued its first guidelines on elder abuse in 1992, urging physicians and other healthcare providers to be more alert to signs of mistreatment or neglect of older patients by their families or caregivers (Aguilera, 1998)
488) While institutional elder abuse has received a great deal of attention, elder abuse by family members has been identified as a growing problem in American society in recent years as well. In fact, since the beginning of the first congressional investigation of elder abuse in 1978 (Olinger, 1991), every state has implemented some form of elder abuse reporting law with an agency designated to accept reports of suspected elder abuse, investigate such allegations, and provide intervention for the elderly victim (Bergeron & Gray, 2003)
488) While institutional elder abuse has received a great deal of attention, elder abuse by family members has been identified as a growing problem in American society in recent years as well. In fact, since the beginning of the first congressional investigation of elder abuse in 1978 (Olinger, 1991), every state has implemented some form of elder abuse reporting law with an agency designated to accept reports of suspected elder abuse, investigate such allegations, and provide intervention for the elderly victim (Bergeron & Gray, 2003)
, 1996). Moreover, recent increases in the incidence of elder abuse has introduced some difficult questions concerning the advantages of separating family members when abuse or neglect has been reported, especially when the abused person is dependent on the relationship for important benefits (Chalk & King, 1998)
In fact, notwithstanding the foregoing theoretical frameworks for understanding and responding to elder abuse, there remains some profound misconceptions concerning who commits the most abuse against the elderly and which interventions are most appropriate. To date, studies have shown that men are in reality not far more likely to commit domestic violence toward women but rather than the reverse is true and women's tendency toward being a perpetrator of domestic violence is not considered minimal or trivial (Coney et al
Despite this growing attention, though, some observers suggest that elder mistreatment research is lagging 20 years behind (Kurst-Swanger & Petcosky, 2003). Indeed, although the abuse of elders has generated considerable interest over the past two decades as the prevalence of the problem has become more discernible, the problem has not received the attention it needs (Ebersole & Hess, 1998)
The caregiver experiences increasing frustration and stress as his or her ability to give care diminishes. Elder abuse tends to increase in frequency and severity over time" (Gellert, p
197). One of the natural outcomes of long-term self-neglect, of course, is premature death, but this problem in particular remains understudied; nevertheless, it is well established that psychological well-being plays a significant role in the preservation of physical health and functional capacity (Grant, 1996)
"No matter how original you think the research question may be," they advise, "it is almost certain that your work will be building on the work of others. It is here that the review of such existing work is important" (Gratton & Jones, p
Consequently, elder homicide, as an extension of these types of elder abuse, can reasonably be posited to be influenced by these factors (Bergeron & Gray). Moreover, women's relationships with children and elders have some significant commonalities including the following: The social demand, in more traditional social systems, for women to care exclusively for both the very young and the elderly; The frequent deviantizing of women caregivers seeking outside help such as child care or nursing home care; and, The economic strain such caregiving often causes and the negative impact of women's disadvantage in the workforce on the economic costs of caring for elders or children (Jensen)
197). This author suggests that this fact is evident in at least three ways: The higher reporting of self-neglect over other abuse forms; The breadth of agencies encountering self-neglect situations; and, The importance placed on handling self-neglect cases in protective practice (Johnson, p
Much has been written about improving the quality of life for senior citizens over the years, but the bottom line outcome for the purposes of this investigation is the relationship of such abuse to premature deaths. As one authority notes, "The ultimate measure of the quality of life is mortality" (Kosberg, 2005, p
177). Despite this growing attention, though, some observers suggest that elder mistreatment research is lagging 20 years behind (Kurst-Swanger & Petcosky, 2003)
562). The results of an 11-year longtitudinal study of community elders showed that almost 10% of them were referred for adult protective services at some point in time (Lachs et al