As the population of older adults in America swells in the coming decades, the risk of elder abuse increases. While elder abuse can manifest in obvious ways, there are many forms of elder abuse that are discrete, and all impact older adults’ mental health. Importantly, perpetrators of elder abuse deal with mental health challenges, too. As a result, addressing underlying mental health concerns for both older adults and perpetrators of elder abuse is of high priority. I wrote about this in Behavioral Health News today:
“The COVID-19 pandemic produced a perfect storm for elder abuse that reverberates today, as both older adults and perpetrators experienced social isolation, stress, and health problems. One survey of community-based caregivers shows that, post-COVID, they are drinking more alcohol, feeling significantly more socially isolated and lonely, and are more worried about their finances than before the pandemic (Makaroun et al., 2021).”
Read the whole piece here, beginning on page 27.
