Homicide by an older adult offender: assessment, formulation and treatment

Abstract

Senior individuals are far more commonly the victims of aggression than the perpetrators, but a small minority of older adults do commit crimes. This paper describes the case of a male older adult who battered his wife to death and presented with amnesia about the attack. It describes the neuropsychological, risk and personality assessment procedures adopted to assess functioning, evaluate risk of re‐offending and formulate about the offence. It proposes formulations for the offence and illustrates the treatment provided to ameliorate distress and enhance memories of what had taken place. Finally it highlights areas for future research and service development. With a growing older adult population, the need for specialist assessment and risk management of older adults who offend is likely to increase, so more resources should be allocated to meeting the needs of such individuals.