This paper describes current health legislation used to deal with actual and potential abuse of elderly people with dementia living in the community. Recent recommendations made regarding updating existing legal processes and creating new provisions are also outlined.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BenbowS. M.HaddadP. M. (1993) Sexual abuse of the elderly mentally ill. Postgrad. Med. J.69, 803–7.
2.
BlockM. R.SinnottJ. (1979) The Battered Elder Syndrome: an exploratory study. Unpublished manuscript, University of Maryland.
CoyneA. C.ReichmannW. E.BerbigL. J.. (1993) The relationship between dementia and elder abuse. Am. J. Psychiat.150, 643–6.
5.
FordhamL. A. (1990) The Court of Protection. Baseline47, 24–37.
6.
FulmerT. T.O'MalleyT. A. (1987) Inadequate Care of the Elderly: a health care perspective on abuse and neglect. New York, Springer.
7.
GioglioG. R.BlakemoreP. (1983) Elder Abuse in New Jersey: the knowledge and experience of abuse among older New Jerseyans. Trenton, Department of Human Services.
8.
GrantW. (1992) Guardianship Orders: a review of their use under the 1983 Mental Health Act. Med. Sci. Law32 (4), 319–23.
9.
HoggettB. (1990) Mental Health Law. London, Sweet and Maxwell.
10.
HoltM. (1993) Elder sexual abuse in Britain. In: McCreadieC. (ed.) Elder Abuse: new findings and policy guidelines. London, Age Concern Institute of Gerontology, King's College.
11.
HomerA.GilleardC. (1990) Abuse of elderly people by their carers. Brit. Med. J.301, 1359–62.
12.
JacobyR. (1991) Enduring Power of Attorney. In: JacobyR.OppenheimerC. (eds) Psychiatry in the Elderly. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
13.
KurrleS. E.SadlerP. M.CameronI. D. (1992) Patterns of elder abuse. Med. J. Aust.157, 673–6.
14.
Lancet (1993) Mrs Bolger was abused. Lancet234, 691.
15.
LauE.KosbergJ. (1979) Abuse of elderly by informal caregivers. Aging229, 10–15.
16.
Law Commission (1991) Mentally Incapacitated Adults and Decision-Making: an overview. Law Commission No 119. London, HMSO.
17.
Law Commission (1995) Mental Incapacity. Law Commission No 231. London, HMSO.
MacFarlaneA. B. (1987) Making the most of the Court of Protection. In: CarsonD. (ed.) Making the Most of the Court of Protection: a guide to the law relating to the Court of Protection and on making the most of the Court's services. London, King's Fund Centre, pp. 5–23.
20.
MacMillanD.ShawP. (1966) Senile breakdown in standards of personal and environmental cleanliness. BMJ 2, 1032–7.
21.
Mental Health Act Commission (1987). Second Biennial Report 1985–1987. London, HMSO.
22.
MurphyE. (1993) The Mental Health Act and Dementia. In: LevyR.HowardR.BurnsA. (eds) Treatment and Care in Old Age Psychiatry. Peters-field, Wrightson Biomedical Publishing Ltd.
23.
OggJ.BennettG. (1992) Elder abuse in Britain. BMJ305, 998–9.
24.
PavezaG. J.CohenD.EisdorferC.FreelsS.SemlaT.AshfordJ. W.GorelickP.HirschmanR.LuchinsD.LevyP. (1992) Severe family violence and Alzheimer's disease: prevalence and risk factors. Gerontologist32 (4), 493–7.
25.
PillemerK. A.FinklehorD. (1988) The prevalence of elder abuse: a random sample survey. The Gerontologist28 (1), 51–7.
26.
PillemerK.SuitorJ. (1992) Violence and violent feelings: What causes them among family caregivers?J. Gerontol.47 (4), 165–72.
27.
PodnieksE. (1992) National survey on abuse of the elderly in Canada. J. Elder Abuse Neglect4, 55–8.
28.
RoweJ.DaviesK.BaburajV.SinhaR. (1993) F. A. D. E. A. W. A. Y. The financial affairs of dementing elders and who is the attorney?J. Elder Abuse and Neglect5 (2), 73–9.
29.
WattisJ. P.GrantW.TraynorJ.HarrisS. (1990) Use of Guardianship under the 1983 Mental Health Act. Med. Sci. Law30 (4), 313–16.
30.
WolfR. S.PillemerK. A. (1989) Helping Elderly Victims. New York, Columbia.
31.
WrigleyM. (1995) Mental health legislation and the care of people with dementia. Ir. J. Psychol. Med.12 (1), 4–5.
32.
WrigleyM.CooneyC. (1992) Diogenes syndrome — an Irish series. Ir. J. Psychol. Med.9, 37–41.