Conceptualizing Elder Abuse in the Face of Old Age and Functional Limitations

Since its recognition in the public domain in 1975, elder abuse can be considered to be an evolving concept. Globally, a push has been observed to broaden the scope of its understanding, so as to deal with it rather effectively, especially in the face of population aging. Research and discourse on elder abuse have largely focused on exploring and understanding the same across cultures, gender, and socio-economic backgrounds; however, understanding elder abuse given an intersection of functional limitations/disabilities and old age is yet to receive proper coverage and understanding in research and policy. This small yet increasing percentage of individuals who experience both are equally if not more vulnerable to abuse. The chapter draws out how the understanding of elder abuse has evolved so far, discusses the existing frameworks and theories to understand the same, and throws light on the need to explore and study further, the intersection of functional limitations/disability and old age to view elder abuse from the lens of elderly experiencing both.