Issues that often contribute to elder abuse in communities in general, and in AI/AN communities specifically, include a lack of employment and economic opportunities and high rates of substance abuse. Many tribes and villages face issues in their communities, such as structural poverty. As the National Indian Council on Aging pointed out in their seminal work on elder abuse in Indian Country, “family economic situations and the level of dependency in intergenerational caregiving situations can be a risk factor for an abusive relationship” (2004, p. 8). This lack of economic opportunity in tribal communities often leads to greater financial interdependency within families; as a result, family members may take advantage of their elders by taking an elder’s money, by moving in with elders, or by overusing elders to provide care for the family members’ own children. Labeling these actions as forms of elder abuse can be difficult, as they fall within the types of strategies families employ to survive economic hardships. But when a family member forces an elder into these situations, it takes on the pall of abuse. The economic poverty faced by many AI/AN communities also contributes to high rates of substance abuse among elders and family members, which can further lead to elders experiencing abuse, such as self-neglect, or abuse at the hands of other family members (Anetzberger, 1997; Graves et al., 2005; Graves & LaCounte, n.d.; National Indian Council on Aging, 2004; Smyer & Clark, 2011; Wilke & Winton, 2005; Hall & Weis, 2007; Mercer, 1996; Segal et al., 2004; White, 2004).
Elder abuse takes many forms. The Administration on Community Living outlines six forms of abuse, as related to AI/AN communities:
Physical abuse: an intoxicated son hits an elderly parent
Emotional abuse: a drunk and mad relative enters an elder’s home, yelling and scaring the elder
Neglect: an elder complains of loneliness and being left alone
Sexual abuse: an elder is “courted” by a young mother
Financial Exploitation: a family member gambles away an elder’s only income
Spiritual abuse: a family member takes an elder’s regalia and personal items (Graves and LaCounte, n.d.)
