The Fit of Elder Abuse with the Family Violence Paradigm, and the Implications of a Paradigm Shift for Clinical Practice

Elder abuse is one of the most complex, difficult, and frustrating problems that practicing public health nurses face. In part this frustration is related to the lack of fit between the family violence paradigm (the explanatory base most commonly used to guide case identification and intervention) and the types of abuse most commonly encountered. Several issues are raised when this paradigm serves as the exclusive basis for concepts about elder abuse. A more comprehensive view is possible when this problem is placed in the context of a family caregiving paradigm.