Single Incident Likely Trigger Serious Illness Even Death in Older Person

Because older victims usually have fewer support systems and reserves—physical, psychological, and economic—the impact of abuse and neglect is magnified, and a single incident of mistreatment is more likely to trigger a downward spiral leading to loss of independence, a serious complicating illness, and even death. Burgess, A., and N. Hanrahan, Identifying Forensic Markers in Elder Sexual Abuse, final report submitted to the National Institute of Justice, Washington, DC: 2006 .