Introducing a Framework for Defining Financial Abuse of the Elderly

Abstract

Although an extensive body of literature has developed over the last decade that focuses on elder abuse, little has been written specifically on financial abuse. Financial abuse of older persons remains difficult to detect and prosecture, in part, because it is poorly understood and ill-defined. The purpose of this article is to begin the task of specifically identifying older persons who have been subjected to financial abuse. To do this, we offer a framework for identifying abuse that includes: (1) characteristics of the older person that suggest vulnerability to abuse, (2) the nature of the relationship between the suspected wrongdoer and the older person, (3) the outcomes and interests served by the relationship, and (4) the type of influence used by the suspected wrongdoer. The interaction of these factors is described and analyzed to help better identify abusive situations.