Emotional Abuse

Emotional or psychological abuse can include:

• threatening to do something to the older adult or to something or someone the person cares about;
• mental cruelty;
• humiliation;
• forced socialization or isolation;
• treating the older adult like a child; or
• not allowing the older adult to make decisions for themselves.

Signs of Emotional Abuse

• showing fear of certain family members, friends, or caregivers;
• withdrawal, passivity, agitation, anxiety, apathy, or depression without any apparent reason;
• unexplained paranoia or fears;
• physical signs of isolation;
• unusual weight gain/loss;
• refusing to talk openly;
• making inconsistent statements;
• waiting for the caregiver to respond to questions;
• noticeable behavioural changes including avoiding eye contact;
• low self-esteem;
• difficulty sleeping or needing excessive sleep;
• making excuses for social isolation; or
• being largely ignored, treated passively, or treated like a child by a caregiver.

NOTE: Some of these indicators may be present and the older adult is not being abused. These are only possible signs of abuse.

For more information, see CPLEA’s Let’s talk: Elder abuse resource manual.