The Gerontologist, Vol 34, Issue 1 123-125, Copyright © 1994 by The Gerontological Society of America

ARTICLES

The investigation and outcome of reported cases of elder abuse: the Forsyth County Aging Study

B Shiferaw, MB Mittelmark, JL Wofford, RT Anderson, P Walls and B Rohrer
Department of Public Health Sciences, Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1063.

This study summarizes the outcome of all investigations of elder abuse conducted in Forsyth County, North Carolina, during a 3-year period ending December 1991. Of the 123 cases investigated, 23 were confirmed as elder abuse. There were no statistically significant differences in age, sex, race, living arrangements, mental status, mobility, or source of report between confirmed and unconfirmed cases. Unconfirmed compared to confirmed cases were more likely to reside in a nursing home and/or to be ill. The most frequently substantiated charge was exploitation of resources (46%). Only 3% of charges of physical abuse were substantiated. Among confirmed cases, 70% were offered and accepted protective services.