TABLE 2.

Dimensions of Elder Mistreatment According to Chinese and Korean Interview and Focus Group Participants

Psychological or  emotional abuse	Mistreatment involving verbal or nonverbal acts inflicting mental or  emotional anguish or distress on an elder person through use of  control, intimidation, or domination. Categories of psychological  abuse include lack of love or affection; disrespect; silent treatment;  controlling what elders can or cannot do; threat (e.g., threat of  deportation); alienation/isolation from decision making, families and  friends, or significant events (e.g., wedding or family gathering);  restriction of freedom; or belittling, degrading, or hostile acts or  remarks toward an elderly person.
Neglect by a  trusted person	Mistreatment involving lack of sincere intention to care, or failure to  provide adequate care for an older adult by a trusted person. This  includes both tangible care (e.g., food, clothing, shelter, medical care,  or safety) and emotional support (psychological support and care).  This dimension also includes willful deprivation; for example,  throwing medication away or turning off gas, electronics, or water.
Abandonment	Mistreatment involving the complete desertion of an older person by  anyone who has assumed the responsibility for care or custody of  that person.
Half-day  abandonment	Mistreatment involving the partial desertion of an older adult person by  anyone who has assumed the responsibility for care or custody of  that person, forcing him or her to stay out of the home during the  day without proper food or appropriate care.
Financial  exploitation	Mistreatment involving control over an elder’s money or economic  resources; finance-related coercion or manipulation; illegal taking or  misuse (or unauthorized use); or concealment of funds, property, or  assets of an elder. It also includes failure to provide regular  allowances to the elderly parents to help in maintaining a minimum  standard of living; financial fraud; withholding money at will; and  expecting the older person to work without pay.
Physical abuse	Mistreatment involving intentional use of force, objects, or threats to  inflict physical pain, bodily harm, injury, or to cause feelings of  intimidation or fear to an older adult. This dimension includes  bruises, hitting, beating, pushing, shoving, slapping, pinching,  kicking, biting, spitting, throwing objects, stabbing, threatening to  harm or kill, restraining, or confinement. This physical abuse factor  also includes indirect forms of physical aggression; for example,  forcing a victim to eat nonfood items (e.g., urine) against his or her  will resulting in physical suffering, or depriving an elderly victim of  sleep or other necessities to inflict physical harm.
Sexual abuse	Mistreatment involving behavioral or verbal acts that force or coerce  unwanted sexual activity against an older adult’s will (e.g., touching,  fondling, rape/marital rape, intercourse, etc.).

Note. These five dimensions of elder mistreatment identified by study participants reflect what is perceived as elder abuse in the Chinese and Korean communities. It does not necessarily mean that all acts are seen as abusive in the courts or considered legally abusive. For example, “lack of love or affection” is not seen as legally abusive, although it is considered psychologically abusive in these two communities.