Abstract
The study investigated the familial determinants of elder abuse in the
context of family care giving in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Two research
questions guided the study. The population consisted of all male and
female elderly aged 70 and above. Multi – stage sampling technique was
used to select a sample size of 5,600 elderly people for the study. Structured
questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. Data collected
were analysed using frequency counts, percentages and mean scores.
Findings of the study revealed that emotional/psychological abuse is the
most common form of abuse experienced by the elderly in the study, closely
followed by financial/material abuse and neglect/abandonment, followed
by physical abuse while sexual abuse is the least experienced form of abuse.
The familial factors contributing to elder abuse in order of importance as
revealed in the study are accusing the elderly of witchcraft, unemployment,
intergenerational transfer of abuse, emotional and financial dependence on
the victim, family‟s social isolation, retaliation of childhood abuse, physical
stress and burdens of care giving, lack of social support from secondary
caregivers and other family members; and poverty. Based on the findings of
the study, recommendations were made to improve the care of the elderly
in families and reduce the rates of all forms of elder abuse in Ibom Akwa
State.