Abstract
Elder family financial exploitation (EFFE) is widely recognized as the most prevalent and growing type of elder abuse. This study provides needed insight into how family members, other than the direct victim and the perpetrator, experience the costs and consequences of financial exploitation of an older parent by someone in their own family. Guided by a social constructivism qualitative research design and human ecological systems theory, a purposeful sample of 28 family members who had experienced EFFE participated in personal interviews and completed brief written surveys. Participating family members were primarily an adult child of an older parent/victim, and a sibling of the primary perpetrator, married, with a mean age of 59 years. The findings reflect EFFE has consequences for family relationships, family functioning, and the individual health and well-being of non-perpetrator/non-victim family members. Some type of loss was an overarching theme with a focus on a) loss of relationships and roles given the need to redefine who’s family, “cutting off” processes and outcomes, resignation and acceptance; and b) the loss of relational dynamics (broken trust, respect, closeness, honesty). Participants described a range of personal emotional and physical health consequences. In some contexts consequences were also positive with strengthened relationship quality and dynamics with selected family members. Overall, family members emphasized it was the emotional and social consequences that mattered, not personal financial losses. The findings help to inform intervention strategies to help reduce the costs and consequences of EFFE on family systems and larger society.