disability and caregiver burden: relation to elder abuse

Aims: The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence and severity of elder abuse, its relation to elder disability and caregiver burden and to ascertain the better predictor between them for abuse. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 patients ≥60 years with their caregivers (50 from medical geriatric outpatient department [OPD] and 50 from psychogeriatric OPD) were recruited from a tertiary care center after screening for cognitive issues significant enough to hamper the responses using Elderly Cognition Assessment Questionnaire (score <5 excluded). Semi-structured pro forma and scales were applied (Elder abuse screening instrument for abuse, World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 to assess functioning and disability, and Zarit's Burden Interview for caregiver burden). Results: Mean scores of abuse, disability, and degree of burden were 3.58, 24.21, and 14.87, respectively. Significantly greater abuse was found in disability domains of cognition and getting along with people in the psychiatric population than the medical population of the study. Furthermore, significant correlation was found individually of disability and degree of burden with the abuse score (P = 0.005 and 0.000, respectively), and degree of burden (r2 = 26) is a better predictor of abuse in comparison to disability (r2 = 8). Conclusion: Elder abuse appears to be directly correlated with disability (psychological > physical) and caregiver burden. To reduce abuse, we need targeted therapy aimed at easing caregiver burden in addition to measures to reduce and aid for elder disability.