This term refers to people 60 and older who are harmed through multiple co-occurring or sequential types of elder abuse by one or more perpetrators, or when an older adult experiences one type of abuse perpetrated by multiple others with whom the older adult has a personal, professional or care recipient relationship in which there is a societal expectation of trust, according to The National Committee for the prevention of Elder Abuse.
Deeper dive
Older adults experiencing more than one type of abuse appear to be at higher risk for grave consequences than those experiencing single form abuse, even if that form occurs more than once. Late life polyvictimization occurs in a variety ways and may involve one or multiple perpetrators. All five types of elder abuse (physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse and care provider neglect) co- occur in various combinations, frequently causing victims to suffer in multiple ways. Common perpetrators include those with special access, including Intimate partners, family members, fiduciaries, paid and unpaid service providers.
Abuse happens to residents in care settings, within families (by intimate partners and others), in community settings, care facilities, and across diverse victim-perpetrator relationships. “Cascading abuse”occurs when episode(s) of a single form of abuse triggers subsequent other abuses perpetrated by different offenders.
NCPEA says that elder financial exploitation that co-occurs with other abuses has been linked to declines in victims’ health and well-being. Health outcomes may be more severe or long lasting for older victims who have experienced multiple forms of intimate partner violence (IPV). Researchers believe that as many as 11% of older adults were victims of at least one form of abuse during the prior year.