Identifying and responding to domestic abuse in the older population: key challenges and complexities

ABSTRACT

Many older people are subjected to domestic abuse every year and yet this is an issue that has been neglected in terms of policy, practice, and research. The aim of this research was to develop knowledge and understanding of how key agencies identify and respond to domestic abuse in the older population. A qualitative study, utilising semi-structured interviews with practitioners from statutory and voluntary sector agencies and two older women who had experienced domestic abuse, was undertaken. Findings show that the recognition of domestic abuse in later life is limited, although participants suggested that it was more readily identified now than previously. The complexities of abuse in older age can impact on whether abuse is identified as domestic abuse and it is suggested that age discrimination also impacts on this recognition. Where domestic abuse is identified, there are issues with how it is responded to, including a lack of services to refer on to for older people and a lack of age appropriate tools and resources to draw upon. Issues that complicate this area of practice include the cross over between elder abuse and domestic abuse for older people, particularly where care and support needs are present.

KEYWORDS:

• Domestic abuse/violence
• older people
• adult safeguarding
• elder abuse
• thresholds

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Please note that the language victim/survivor is used throughout this paper. This is in recognition that whilst health and social care services may use the term ‘victim’, some people find the term ‘survivor’ more empowering. As Women Against Abuse (2023) point out, ‘the journey from victim to survivor is unique to each person’ and we use the term ‘victim/survivor’ in this paper ‘to represent this continuum’.

2 Safeguarding Adults Boards (SABs) oversee adult safeguarding work within each locality. See SCIE (2016) for more information about SABs.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University of Sunderland. Sarah P Lonbay is an ARC Research Fellow within the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and Cumbria (NENC) (NIHR200173). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Notes on contributors

Sarah P. Lonbay

Sarah P Lonbay is an Associate Professor of Social Sciences and Engagement in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Sunderland and a Research Fellow in the multi-morbidity, ageing, and frailty theme of the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration for North East and Cumbria. Dr. Lonbay’s research interests include engagement and co-production, adult abuse and safeguarding, and older people and ageing.

Carole Southall

Carole Southall is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing at Northumbria University. Carole is a qualified social worker with significant practice experience in adult services. Dr. Southall’s research interests are in mental health, mental capacity and adult safeguarding.