The Dangers of Dependency: New Findings on Domestic Violence against the Elderly

Drawing on data from a case-control study of physical abuse of the elderly, this paper examines conflicting hypotheses: (1) that the increased dependency of an older person causes stress for relatives, who then respond with physical violence versus (2) that the increased dependency of the abusive relative leads to maltreatment. The results of quantitative and qualitative analyses are consistent: the elderly victims were not likely to be more dependent, but were instead more likely to be supporting the dependent abuser. These findings have important implications for social exchange theory and for policy towards the aging.