What ... elder abuse?
It is certain that at least one in twenty elderly people have to deal with a form of abuse. This fact is like the tip of the iceberg: elder abuse is much more common than we think. For example, it appears that many caregivers of demented elderly people (around one third) care gets out of hand in such a way that there is abuse. The older person is totally or partially dependent on the person who abuses. There is almost always a personal or professional relationship between the person who abuses and the elder.

Elder abuse occurs in family or family relationships, but also in relationships with professionals. The abuse can be the result of both active (committing acts) and passive (neglecting acts) behavior. Sometimes the abuse is the result of overburdening the caregiver and we call that: derailed care. There is then no question of intent. The caregivers do not realize that they are going too far. Their actions stem from impotence and are actually a cry for help. Neglect is also a form of abuse.