Taking care of the elderly victim of mistreatment: analysis of the phenomenon in two emergency contexts of the Lombardy Region

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Elderly maltreatment is an underestimated phenomenon, represents a human rights violation and a serious global health problem that exposes victims to heavy health consequences. We estimate that violence against the elderly is likely to increase in the coming decades.

AIM: To investigate the Emergency Room Nurses experiences in two hospital regarding elderly violence.

METHODS: The survey was conducted by administering a questionnaire revised from an earlier study performed by the University of Urbino. A convenience sample was selected on the group of nurses attached to the two regional Emergency Room facilities.

RESULTS: A total of 117 nurses were recruited, 41 (35%) responded to the questionnaire. The most frequently encountered violence form is neglect, followed by psychological, physical, economic, and sexual violence. Advanced age and non-self-sufficiency were recognized as predisposing risk factors for violence, while it appears that belonging to the female gender does not predispose to acts that can be counted as violence. Among maltreatment perpetrators, living or emotional proximity is a predisposing element; close family members or caregivers are often the crime perpetrators. The social-health workers percentage (4 percent) appears significant.

CONCLUSIONS: Elderly violence and mistreatment are still under-explored topics, sometimes considered a care issue rather than a consideration to be addressed in the Nursing Scientific Community. Adapting training programs regarding the elderly violence management and the development of a shared intake model based on objective risk assessment is essential.