Search results for ‘Subject term:"elder abuse"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 10 of 24
Duty bound: elder abuse and family care
- Author:
- STEINMETZ Suzanne K
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Publication year:
- 1988
- Pagination:
- 288p., tables, bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
An American study of the impact that caring for an elderly parent can have on their children, the resulting stress, conflict and abuse.
Work environment and elderly abuse in nursing homes: the mediating role of burnout
- Authors:
- ANDELA Marie, TRUCHOT Didier, HUGUENOTTE Virginie
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(11-12), 2021, pp.5709-5729.
- Publisher:
- Sage
The present study focuses on elderly abuse committed by nurses and nurses’ aides in nursing homes. Elderly abuse includes neglect and abusive behaviors deleterious to the health and welfare of the elderly. The study aimed at a better understanding of neglect and abusive behaviors by considering caregiver burnout and the work context of these professionals. To achieve this goal, direct effects of job demands (workload and emotional demands) and organizational resources (quality of relationships with colleagues and with the supervisor) on elderly abuse were analyzed. Moreover, the mediating role of caregiver burnout was explored by suggesting that job demands and lack of organizational resources were related to neglect and abusive behaviors through burnout. The study was conducted among 481 nurses and health care assistants from different French nursing homes. Correlations, multiple regressions, and mediation analyses were performed. Results globally confirmed our hypotheses. Emotional demands and poor quality relationships with colleagues and the team supervisor were the most predictive variables for caregiver burnout, neglect, and abusive behaviors toward the elderly. Moreover, the results contributed to the literature by highlighting the mediating effect of burnout and give rise to potential implications in preventing elderly abuse in nursing homes. (Edited publisher abstract)
Charting the hits
- Author:
- PRITCHARD J.
- Journal article citation:
- Care Weekly, 19.10.90, 1990, pp.10-11.
Describes a small scale survey of carers to identify causes of stress which might give rise to violence against elderly people.
An empirical examination of elder abuse through the lens of mens rea
- Authors:
- BAJPAI Naval, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Adult Protection, 22(5), 2020, pp.269-297.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine elder abuse (EA) tendency in the context of social integration and caregiver stress (CGS). Afterward, the attempt has been made to examine the role of mens rea or intention in the incidence of EA. Design/methodology/approach: For examining the opinion on EA through the perspective of the elderly and caregiver, a questionnaire was developed using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Afterward, a z-test was used for analyzing the results obtained from the elderly and caregivers. Findings: The results showed that in the context of EA, the opinion of caregivers differs from the elderly. This finding was attributed to the theory of ignorance. Based on this, the legal action for every incidence of EA was discouraged by seeking endorsement from the attachment theory especially for the EA incidences arising due to factors such as social isolation or CGS. Research limitations/implications: This research addresses the presence and non-presence of mens rea or intention in the incidence of EA. Future studies may be conducted by taking a sample from two more developed and developing economies. Moreover, based on the findings the recommended framework can be empirically examined by future researchers. Practical implications: Understanding the study through the perspective of the caregiver may facilitate the academicians and practitioners in keeping the fabric of relationships stronger among the elderly and caregiver. Originality/value: Based on the results obtained from the elderly and caregiver, this study proposes a conceptual framework for examining the EA through the lens of mens rea/intention of the caregiver. It is recommended that initiating legal action for every incidence of EA must be discouraged. However, the incidences such as physical abuse (assault), financial abuse, sexual abuse and alike for which the law itself assumes the presence of intention must not be exempted. (Edited publisher abstract)
Resilience and social support as protective factors against abuse of patients with dementia: a study on family caregivers
- Authors:
- CONTADOR Israel, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 33(8), 2018, pp.1132-1138.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Objective: Scientific literature has identified different vulnerability factors associated to abuse in people with dementia (PWD), but little is known about the psychosocial protective variables against abuse. The main objective of this study is to investigate a set of caregiver and patient factors linked to abuse‐related behaviour of PWD. Methods: A total of 326 primary and family caregivers, residents of the Castilla and León community (Spain), were evaluated. All participants filled out a standardized protocol, which assessed the sociodemographic characteristics, patient and care‐related variables, as well as the perceived burden, resilience, and social support. Abuse‐related behavior was evaluated using the Caregiver Abuse Screen. Results: Results show that the severity of cognitive impairment and behaviour disorders of PWD, a greater number of caregiving hours, a worse previous relationship with the caregiver, and perceived burden are positively related with abuse. However, resilience and social support showed a negative relationship with Caregiver Abuse Screen scores, suggesting a protective effect on abuse, even after controlling the effect of a number of covariates. Indeed, resilience was the only variable that remained significant after including the effect of burden. Conclusions: This paper states the role of burden in abuse of PWD, while resilience and social support are abuse protective factors. These variables should be considered in future guidelines for the prevention of abuse against PWD. (Edited publisher abstract)
Abuse of older Chinese with dementia by family caregivers: an inquiry into the role of caregiver burden
- Authors:
- YAN Elsie, KWOK Timothy
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 26(5), May 2011, pp.527-535.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study looked at the prevalence of, and risk factors for, elder abuse by family care givers of older Chinese dementia sufferers living in Hong Kong. A convenience sample of 122 family caregivers was recruited from local community centres for the elderly. Participants provided information on their demographic characteristics, care recipients' physical functioning and agitated behaviour, caregiver burden, and whether they had directed any abusive behaviour at the care recipients in the previous month. Sixty-two and 18 per cent of caregivers, respectively, reported having verbally or physically abused the care recipients in the past month. Those who spent more days co-residing with the care recipients, lacked any assistance from a domestic helper, observed more agitated behaviours and/or reported a higher level of caregiver stress, also reported more abusive behaviours. The number of co-residing days, lack of any assistance from a domestic helper, and caregiver burden were significant predictors of verbal abuse. Care recipient agitated behaviour also predicted verbal abuse, with its effect mediated by caregiver burden. The number of co-residing days was the only significant predictor of physical abuse. The authors conclude that abuse was prevalent among this population of older Chinese with dementia. Caregiver stress is related to more verbal, but not physical abuse being inflicted by the caregivers of these older persons with dementia.
Nursing aides’ attitudes to elder abuse in nursing homes: the effect of work stressors and burnout
- Authors:
- SHINAN-ALTMAN Shiri, COHEN Miri
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 49(5), October 2009, pp.674-684.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
The purpose of this study was to look at nursing aides’ attitudes towards condoning abusive behaviour towards older people as well as the relationship of these attitudes with work stressors such as role conflict, ambiguity and work overload which may eventually lead to a perceived lack of control and job burnout. Two hundred and eight nursing aides form 18 nursing homes in central Israel completed demographic, occupational, work stressor, burnout, and perceived control questionnaires developed and proven in earlier studies. Based on the vignette technique of eliciting perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes to a described event, the sensitive topic of elder abuse was addressed by the authors and they present an attitude to elder abuse questionnaire for evaluation as a tool for future research. A high mean score of attitudes condoning elder abuse was recorded. Condoning abusive behaviour towards older people was closely related to high levels of work stressors, such as role ambiguity and conflict, burnout and low income. In addition, job burnout partially mediated the relationship between the work stressor variable and attitudes condoning elder abuse. As attitudes may be predictors of behaviour, the authors call for every institute to report and stop maltreatment of its residents by, for example, increasing training, changing work conditions and supervision programs thereby reducing the work stressors and job burnout indicative of elder abuse in nursing homes.
Screening for elder abuse in dementia in the LASER-AD study: prevalence, correlates and validation of instruments
- Authors:
- COOPER Claudia, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 23(3), March 2008, pp.283-288.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Several studies have investigated abusive behaviour by carers towards people with dementia, most using unvalidated scales; only two reported correlates of abuse after controlling for mediators and confounders, and these controlled for different factors. The aim was to investigate the acceptability and validity of the Modified Conflict Tactics Scale (MCTS) and abuse correlates. Eighty-six people with Alzheimer's disease and their family carers, originally recruited for a representative community study were interviewed. The authors asked carers about acceptability of the MCTS and investigated its validity by comparing scores to the Minimum Data Set (MDS) abuse screen (an objective measure) and testing hypotheses that MCTS score would correlate with the COPE dysfunctional coping scale but not carer education. Twenty-four (27.9%) were identified as abuse cases by interview. No care recipients (CRs) screened positive for abuse using the MDS screen. Seventy-two (83.7%) participants thought that the scale was acceptable, ten (11.6%) that it was neither acceptable nor unacceptable, and three (3.5%) that it was unacceptable. As hypothesised, MCTS scores correlated with dysfunctional coping scale score but not carer education. This is the most comprehensive study so far in this field. The MCTS was acceptable and had convergent and discriminant validity for measuring carer abuse. The MDS failed to identify cases of abuse. Carer male gender and burden, and greater CR irritability, cognitive impairment but less functional impairment predicted carer abusive behaviour. These findings appear to refute UK government elder abuse reduction policy which assumes that few incidents of abuse arise from carer stress.
Life strengths interview guide: assessing elder clients' strengths
- Author:
- BERGERON L. Rene
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 34(4), 2001, pp.47-63.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This article explores elder abuse from the perspective of caregiver stress and domestic violence theories. The author proposes that the theory of caregiver stress has shaped the elder abuse laws and the practice field, raising some important questions for examination. The need for policy makers and practitioners to evaluate their applied theory(ies) so they may better advocate for needed changes in policies and laws is examined by using a case example. In conclusion, the author suggests that the elder abuse protection field must consider that underutilised concepts of domestic violence theory for policy development, case assessments, and intervention strategies.
Association of informal caregiver distress with health outcomes of community‐dwelling dementia care recipients: a systematic review
- Authors:
- STALL Nathan M., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 67(3), 2019, pp.609-617.
- Publisher:
- Blackwells Publishing
Background: Most dementia care occurs in the community with support from informal caregivers who are often distressed. Dementia caregiver distress is known to be hazardous to the caregiver's health, but the impact on the dementia care recipient is not well known. Methods: the Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane databases were searched from inception until June 2017 for studies investigating the association of informal caregiver distress with health outcomes of community‐dwelling dementia care recipients. The search results were screened and then data abstracted, and the risk of bias was appraised independently by pairs of reviewers. Results: 81 original investigations were included (n = 43 761 caregivers and dementia care recipients). Sixty‐six studies (81.5%) were observational or cross‐sectional in design, and 47 studies (58%) had a low risk of bias. There was considerable clinical and methodological heterogeneity precluding quantitative synthesis. Dementia care recipients (n = 21 881) had a mean age of 78.2 years (SD ± 3.8 y), half (50.0%) were women, and two‐thirds (66.1%) had Alzheimer's disease. The dementia caregivers (n = 21 880) had a mean age of 62.5 years (SD ± 23.3), three‐quarters (74.1%) were women, and one‐half (50.5%) were spouses of the dementia care recipient. Twenty‐two unique dementia care recipient outcomes were studied including cognition, mood, quality of life, function, healthcare utilisation, and costs. Overall, informal caregiver distress is commonly associated with the institutionalization of the dementia care recipient, worsening behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, and experiencing elder abuse. Conclusion: Informal caregiving is a cornerstone of dementia care, and distress related to this role is associated with worsening of several dementia care recipient health outcomes. It is important that clinicians and researchers worldwide consider the broader consequences of caregiver distress. (Edited publisher abstract)