Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

December 23, 2020

Changes in Elder Abuse Risk Factors Reported by Caregivers of Older Adults During the COVID‐19 Pandemic

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During the  COVID-19 pandemic, the caregivers of elders report experiencing adverse experiences previously established as risk factors for elder abuse. Persons responsible for the care of community-dwelling adults over the age of 60 report increasing financial hardship, greater worry about finances, heavier use of alcohol, increasing feelings of social isolation and loneliness, and greater physical, emotional, and financial costs of caregiving. The 433 caregivers who responded to the survey were more likely to be experiencing financial hardship than the 2,933 respondents who were not acting as caregivers. The limited racial and ethnic diversity of the study population means that results may underestimate the effect of the pandemic on racial and ethnic minority populations.

Makaroun et al. (Dec 21, 2020). Changes in Elder Abuse Risk Factors Reported by Caregivers of Older Adults During the COVID‐19 Pandemic. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.17009