Elder abuse affects older people from different backgrounds, including education, occupational, financial, and cultural.

Known risk factors include:

• increased dependency for daily activities
• dependency on others for your finances
• isolation
• shared living arrangements
• frailty in older age
• long term or sudden illness
• problems with confusion or memory
• dementia or illnesses that affect memory
• mental health problems
• history of family violence
• drug and alcohol dependency
• addictive behaviours

Factors that increase the likelihood of elder abuse include situations where:

• a family undergoes an unforeseen or unfavourable change in circumstances
• there is a history of poor relationships or abuse between family members
• difficulties emerge as a result of role reversal (e.g, if a father or mother becomes dependent on a son or daughter)
• family members are isolated and lack other relationships which give social, physical and emotional satisfaction
• a carer has been forced to change lifestyle as a result of caring
• the older person requires a level of care beyond the capacity of the carer
• there are difficulties due to hearing, visual or speech impairments
• a carer has conflicting responsibilities or financial difficulties
• a carer has not received help or support
• the older person refuses adequate support for themselves or their carer
• the older person has an illness or dementia that can cause unpredictable or repetitive behaviour, wandering or aggression, or major changes in personality
• financial pressures and/or beliefs about rights of inheritance or ownership lead to control of finances, property or resources.