Elderly Financial Abuse

Elderly Financial Abuse
Introduction:
The elderly are exposed to various forms of  physical, sexual, financial, mental, and social abuse. In most cases, these forms of abuse are committed by close members of their respective families or friends. Abuse can be illustrated in numerous ways and can concentrate on the victim’s susceptibility and dependency, mental disorder, development of ill health, and the perpetrator’s characteristics. Additionally, ill-treatment can comprise actions of mishandling or abandonment, which can be deliberate or accidental.
It is necessary to discuss domestic abuse, especially financial elder abuse, its causes and basically all the fundamental aspects associated with it (Summers & Hoffman, 2006). The most ordinarily reported form of elder abuse in Australia is financial abuse, being committed in most cases, by relatives.
Financial abuse incorporates making shameful utilization of an older individual's property or cash without his/her insight or consent and can incorporate fabrication, taking, exchange of cash or property to someone else, withholding trusts from the elderly persons, and the failure of other individuals to reimburse them their advances (CDC 2014).There are many factors related that can be associated with financial abuse, which can border on the psychological or sociological.
Factors related to the perpetrator (Dylan)
Psychological factors:
It was found that many theories locate the etiological causes of elderly abuse in psychopathological characteristics of the abusers. Dylan was raised in a dysfunctional family. This has resulting psychosocial stressors, which affected his growth and conduct later on. Therefore, he might have suffered from inferiority complex, low self-esteem, and depression (Summers & Hoffman, 2006). 
According to Freud theory, Dylan might have experienced his father’s aggressive behaviour towards them early in his life, and this is what subsequently makes Dylan become anti-social by staying away from his parent and behaves critically against Greta (Barkway 2013, p.5). According to Erikson’s Theory, the distinct characteristics sociological characteristics are what usually determine an individual’s ego, and successful social problem solving strategies are directly proportional to the growth of ego.
Dylan might have suffered from a pair of psychosocial crises; industry versus inferiority and intimacy versus isolation (Shaffer, 2009) .These two result to a deficiency of the basic virtues of competency and love respectively. All of these psychosocial problems influenced Dylan to engage into actions that harm Greta and also abuse her financially. According to exchange theory, one of the essential aspects of the perpetrator is that he is usually more dependent on the elderly’s house and money and consequently he can control the victim.
* Alcohol and drug abuse
Dylan may be abusing Greta financially just to get the attention of his parents. He might be feeling unloved and would like them to notice him. Dylan might have become addicted because he did not have somebody to monitor his movement or talk to him about the dangers of drug abuse because their parent might have lacked the necessary knowledge on the same. The effect of alcohol or drug abuse addiction might increase his desire to get money so craving for alcohol might force him to steal in order to get money and buy alcohol or drugs.
This is a direct relation to classical conditioning as explained by Pavlov’s Theory, which brings into perspective the case of unconditioned stimulus in relation to conditioned stimulus (Asratian, 2001). In addition, he might imitate his father’s unbecoming behaviour such as substance abuse or violence of his family .Dylan’s abusive tendencies can be well put through by modelling according to Bandura’s social learning theory (Akers & Jensen, 2009).This explains social learning theory, where the behaviour of an individual are learnt through one’s association to the environment he live in (Akers & Jensen, 2009).
Factors related to the victim (Greta)
Physical impairment of Greta:
Elderly people like Greta are believed to be more physically fragile; hence, they are not in a position to defend themselves or fight back when they are abused. Dylan usually takes advantage of Greta’s vulnerability, such as mental or physical illnesses, to steal her money (Bonnie and Wallace 2005, p. 8).
Psychological factors:
It is common for elderly people at the age of 75 years like Greta to be depressed or have memory problems that might make her vulnerable to manipulation. According to Erikson (Shaffer, 2009), elderly people feel that they lose their power and their life is not meaningful to them, which increases their risk of psychiatric problems and risky behaviour such as alcoholism. Therefore, the abuser can easily control them and take the benefits (Guerin 2013, p 65).
Psychological effects of caregiver on the larger family:
Greta becomes fragile and more dependent especially after her CVA, which might be demanding on Dylan’s mother. Therefore, the mother might be under pressure, stress, and depression, which would affect her care towards Greta and her children. Moreover, it can cause marital conflicts, which would lead to psychological problems of their kids, specifically Dylan that would engage in risky behaviours such as drug abuse and stealing of money (Bonnie & Wallace 2005, p.15).
Sociological factors:
Dylan may be abusing Greta financially just to get the attention of his parents. He might be feeling unloved and would like them to notice him. The character of Dylan might have because he believed that his parents did not care about his future. Since there is nobody who has been reported to sympathise with Dylan, his co...