ASSESSING THE RISKS FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO DOMESTIC ELDERLY ABUSE A SOCIOCULTURAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

With the increasing human life expectancy all over the world, elder abuse has become one of the most pressing national and global problems. This paper broadly explores the risk factors for domestic elderly abuse, paying paramount attention to the individual characteristics of the offenders and victims. These risk variables can help reduce elder abuse and improve risk management strategies. The current study employed a quantity research design; therefore, data was collected through the self-developed structured questionnaire with closed-ended questions with the help of a purposive sampling technique respondents of the current study were 150 elderly Males and Females of District Bhakkar Pakistan. Data analysis was done using SPSS. Descriptive statistics and correlation results indicated a gloomy and significant positive relationship between physical abuse, psychological abuse, neglect, and financial abuse with domestic elderly abuse. The regression analysis R2=63.0% shows that there is a significant effect of Independent variables (Physical Abuse, Psychological Abuse, Neglect, and Financial Abuse) on the Dependent Variable (domestic elderly abuse). Furthermore, the authors also discovered that integrational relationship quality (IRQ) acts as a partial mediator of the links between such types of abuse and the abuse of domestic elderly. It was also found that cultural perceptions towards aging influenced the connection between IRQ and the contrasts in domestic elderly abuse. The conclusions made in this study stress the need for effective identification of the problem and the establishment of a definite strategy and policy so that authorities can respond to elder abuse appropriately and help those in need.