Duty Bound

Elder Abuse and Family Care

What impact does caring for an elderly parent have on the lives of middle-aged (and sometimes elderly) caregiving offspring? Does a relationship exist between the stress produced by dependency and the level of abuse toward a given elderly person? Reporting the long-awaited results of an extensive study by one of the leading authorities in this field, this volume examines these and other pertinent questions regarding this growing social problem. In addition, this volume addresses the intent behind so-called abuse treatment, the passive/active continuum of abuse, and the relationship between perceived success or failure of the caregiving and the amount of abuse. Elder Abuse and Family Care is must reading for both professionals and students in the areas of family violence, family studies, criminology, psychology, and aging. "This fine study by Steinmetz and her colleagues gives substance to what we were only glimpsing three or more decades ago and, further, focuses 'on the relationship between increased levels of dependency, stress, and feelings of burden and elder abuse.' . . . There are numerous commendable features to the Steinmetz study. There are, for example, abundant, illustrative, verbatim quotes that give caretakers of elders a chance to express their feeling-states and conceptualizations about their situations. . . . In sum, there is much to be gained from [this study] for both those who are professionally concerned about gerontologic and geriatric research on support systems for elders and those who are lay persons who are in need of understanding what the passage of time does to person to whom we are closely related or care about." --International Social Science Review "The author offers valuable information to researchers, counselors, and clinicians working with 'generationally-inverse' families or individuals responsible for elder abuse." --Family Violence Bulletin "There is much to be gained from the Steinmetz study for both those who are professionally concerned about gerontologic and geriatric research on support systems for elders and those who are lay persons who are in need of understanding what the passage of time does to a person to whom we are closely related or care about. Implicit in context are the need for larger social systems than families to offer more than lip service to elder citizens, as well as the need for individuals to anticipate inevitable aging and what strategies maximize life satisfaction for themselves and their kin." --International Social Science Review "Steinmetz's findings provide a dynamic picture of the complexities and realities involved in families caring for frail elderly. The work is well written, and clearly addresses a topic of growing interest and awareness in the U.S. today. Highly recommended. . . for graduate and undergraduate students in human services or related programs." --Choice "The work is timely. . . and well organized. Appendices include the study questionnaire, a discussion of research design issues, additional tables and findings from the service provider component of the study. These materials may be helpful to those planning studies of elder abuse in their own communities." --Contemporary Sociology "From the comments of the interviewees, which are generously sprinkled throughout the text, the reader obtains a very graphic and disturbing account of the burden and stress of caregiving." --Disability Studies Quarterly "Perhaps the most valuable information in this book is contained in the profuse citation of caregivers' interviews, which provides a wealth of insight into their feelings, perceived burdens, and predominantly successful coping strategies. . . provide[s] valuable insight into the caregiver's world." --CARES: Center for Aging Research and Educational Services "There is much to be gained from the Steinmetz study for both those who are professionally concerned about gerontologic and geriatric research on support systems for elders and those who are lay persons who are in need of understanding what the passage of time does to persons to whom we are closely related or care about." --International Social Science Review