Power and Control: Understanding Domestic Abuse in Later Life.

Abstract

when she was 20 years old. She was surprised when he noticed her and asked her out. He was outgoing and popular; she was quiet and shy. He had big dreams for their life together. Kenny liked the house kept clean and meals on the table promptly at 6 p.m. In 1949, when Shirley got married, her job was to stay at home and take care of the house, as all her friends did. But keeping things perfect was harder when she got pregnant. She didn’t feel good, and one night dinner wasn’t ready on time. Kenny was furious. He threw the dishes across the kitchen and pushed her to the Xoor and kicked her. That night was the beginning of Wfty years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Kenny was insistent that his needs should be met before those of Shirley or the children. Shirley became more and more afraid to visit friends or family. Soon, she did not have many people in her life other than Kenny and her children. Last year Shirley had a stroke. She now lives at home with Kenny and receives some home health assistance. On one occasion, a home health nurse heard Kenny screaming at her and later found bruises on her arms, back, and thighs. The nurse Well-meaning professionals sometimes unwittingly collude with the abuser. called social services to do an investigation. Elder abuse takes a variety of forms, involves diVerent relationships, and occurs in several types of settings. This article will focus on abuse perpetrated by family members or caregivers in community settings. Family relationships include longtime spouses or partners, new spouses or partners, and adult children or grandchildren. While institutional abuse and self-neglect are important topics, they are beyond the scope of this article. Many professionals believe caregiver stress is the primary cause of domestic elder abuse. In fact, the majority of noninstitutional elder abuse is family violence (Administration on Aging, 1998; Wisconsin Department of Health and

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