Abuse in elderly people: the Granny Battering revisited

Elderly abuse is not an uncommon problem in England and Wales. Because the elderly population in England and Wales is on the rise, and there is a lack of support for the carers, the prevalence of the elderly abuse will increa se in the future. The diagnosis of elderly abuse depends on a high index of suspicion among the health professionals and being aware of the alerting f eatures of the abuse. Most abuse is perpetrated by a family member who care s for the abused. Elderly abuse has a negative effect on both the abused an d the abuser. Prevention is difficult but remains the mainstay of managemen t. The aim of the review is to increase the awareness of elderly abuse amon g the health professionals. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All righ ts reserved.