Elder abuse may be physical or psychological. Elder abuse may be committed by a younger caregiver or household member upon an older friend or relation, or may occur between two older people who live together.
Elder abuse can occur even when there is genuine love and affection between the people involved.
Forms of elder abuse may be physical, emotional, financial or a combination of all three. It may be difficult to tell whether Elder Abuse is occurring, and even more difficult to get the people in the situation to talk about it. It may be hidden by isolation or disguised by what seems to be a pleasant home setting. Elder Abuse can begin with seemingly normal conflicts and negative interactions that can gradually build up to abusive situations. Usually, in a situation where abuse occurs, one person is providing for the other in some way, while the other is reliant upon that person for much or all of their care.