Suffering from a mental or physical illness. Many times, they're family members who are acting as care givers. When added to personal and financial problems, the strain of caring for an older person can cause frustration.
Unrelieved stress increases the possibility of abuse.
Alcoholism and other drug use may play a major role in elder abuse. While a victim may rely on the abuser for basic needs, the reverse may also be true. The abuser may depend on the older person for basic needs, especially money or housing. In lots of ways. Pain, injury or death may result.