Prevalence and Incidence of EM

Thousands of elderly are abused, neglected, or exploited each year, although exact numbers remain unknown in part because of a lack of reporting. For every reported case of elder abuse, authorities estimate that approximately 24 cases go unreported.²⁷

Many elderly, especially those who depend on others to help them meet their basic needs, face maltreatment by spouses, family members, personal acquaintances, professionals in positions of trust, or opportunistic strangers who prey on the vulnerable.²⁸

Nearly 1 in 10 older adults will experience some form of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation in their lifetime. Older adults experiencing abuse have a 300% higher risk of death compared to those who have not been mistreated.⁴

Many cases go unreported due to fear from the elderly or being unable to communicate about the violence, neglect or exploitation.²⁵

The CDC reports that from 2002 to 2016, there were more than 643,000 older adults treated in the ER for nonfatal assaults and over 19,000 homicides occurred.²⁵