The perspectives of older care recipients, their family members, and their round-the-clock foreign home care workers regarding elder mistreatment

Abstract

Objectives: This study evaluated attitudes toward elder mistreatment from the perspective of older care recipients; their foreign home care workers, and their family members. Methods: Overall, 88 older care recipients, 142 family members, and 127 foreign home care workers responded to a hypothetical case vignette querying about the appropriate care of an older woman who suffers from neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia. Results: Foreign home care workers tended to be more lenient toward elder mistreatment relative to older adults and their family members and to view as effective techniques that would non-equivocally be considered abusive and ineffective by current standards. Conclusions: Interventions should inform these stakeholders about what constitutes elder mistreatment and should be particularly geared toward addressing cultural differences in the perception of elder mistreatment.