Elder abuse may be physical, sexual, psychological, or financial. It may be intentional, unintentional or the result of neglect. Elder abuse may cause harms to the older person either temporarily or over a period of time. Abuse occurs in many forms and a variety of settings.

The most common are:

Physical elder abuse
The non-accidental use of force against an elderly person that results in physical pain, injury, or impairment. Such abuse includes not only physical assaults such as hitting or shoving but the inappropriate use of drugs, restraints, or confinement.

Emotional elder abuse
The treatment of an older adult in ways that cause emotional or psychological pain or distress, including:
• Intimidation through yelling or threats.
• Humiliation and ridicule.
• Habitual blaming or scapegoating.
• Ignoring the elderly person.
• Isolating an elder from friends or activities.
• Terrorizing or menacing the elderly person.

Sexual elder abuse
This involves forced or unwanted sexual interaction of any kind with an older adult. This may include unwanted sexual contact or penetration or non-contact acts such as sexual harassment.

Financial exploitation
The unauthorized use of an elderly person’s funds or property, either by a caregiver or an outside scam artist.

An unscrupulous caregiver might:
• Misuse an elder’s personal checks, credit cards, or accounts.
• Steal cash, income checks, or household goods.
• Forge the elder’s signature.
• Engage in identity theft.

Healthcare fraud and abuse
Carried out by unethical doctors, nurses, hospital personnel, and other professional care providers. This can include:
• Not providing healthcare, but charging for it.
• Overcharging or double-billing for medical care or services.
• Getting kickbacks for referrals to other providers or for prescribing certain drugs.
• Overmedicating or under medicating.
• Recommending fraudulent remedies for illnesses or other medical conditions.
• Medicaid fraud.

Elder neglect
Failure to fulfil a caretaking obligation. This constitutes more than half of all reported cases of elder abuse. It can be intentional or unintentional, based on factors such as ignorance or denial that an elderly person needs as much care as they do. Neglect is the failure to meet an older adult’s basic needs. These needs include food, water, shelter, clothing, hygiene, and essential medical care.