As our elderly population grows, much attention is being placed on abuse of our nation's elderly. A term widely recognized for this is "elder abuse." This term often brings with it images of an older, frail victim abused or exploited by a caregiver. While this image is an accurate portrayal of elder abuse, some distinctions need to be made.

Elder abuse has taken place when a person age 60 or older is subjected to physical, sexual, emotional, financial abuse and neglect. A family member, caregiver or any other individual can perpetrate this abuse. The legal definition of elder abuse is more detailed, differs from state to state and usually defines the victim of the abuse as an "incapacitated" adult (someone who is unable to care for themselves independently). Domestic violence in later life can be a form of elder abuse when an older, incapacitated adult is subjected to a pattern of coercive control and abuse by someone with whom they have an intimate, ongoing relationship. Domestic violence in later life also includes a pattern of abuse perpetrated on an older adult who is not "incapacitated."

Research in the 1970's determined that "caregiver stress" was a primary cause for elder abuse. Caregiver abuse was attributed to an overworked, overburdened caregiver who hurt a frail, dependent elderly person. Subsequent research does not support caregiver stress as the primary cause for elder abuse. Many people who respond to elder abuse situations have been trained to intervene in elder abuse cases as instances of caregiver stress; however, they have not been trained on the dynamics of this type of violence and its impact on older people. Many cases of domestic violence in later life have been identified as instances of caregiver stress and therefore, have been incorrectly treated.

The caregiver stress model when incorrectly applied to an instance of domestic violence shifts the blame to the victim, frees the perpetrator of the responsibility for the violence, and offers support to the perpetrator. Accurate assessment that considers the dynamics of domestic violence is essential for addressing an older victim's needs for safety and support. Offering inappropriate interventions can put an older abused victim in greater danger.

Examples of tactics of control include but are not limited to:

• Threatening to take a victim's children away if she does not leave the perpetrator.
• Asking a victim, "What are you doing to provoke the abuse?" or "If it's so bad, why do you stay with him?"
• Violating her confidentiality by contacting police or the perpetrator without the victim's consent.
• Telling a victim that it is her job to hold the family together and that leaving an abusive partner is a sin.
• Denying a victim health insurance or a job because she is "high-risk."
• Colluding with abusers who provide personal assistance to their victims by excusing abusive behaviors as "caregiver stress."
• Denying people with disabilities access to public transportation, courthouses and the same services that are provided to able-bodied people.
• Not acknowledging fears of using the criminal justice system felt by people who have been historically discriminated against by that system (people of color, people with disabilities, and the gay and lesbian community).
• Not acknowledging that domestic violence, including sexual abuse, happens to people with disabilities and elderly people.
• Communicating with the personal assistant or person accompanying a person with a disability instead of communicating directly with the person (particularly when the person's disability affects their communication skills).