This report outlines the findings of a study undertaken to examine older people’s experiences of mistreatment and abuse. The study involved in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of nine older people who have been victims of abuse, recruited through the senior case workers responsible for managing cases of elder abuse in Ireland. Interviews were conducted over a seven month period from May to November 2011. This study aimed to examine and describe older people’s experiences of abuse. The objectives of this study were to:

1. Examine the extent and impact of abuse on older people and their families
2. Examine the decision-making pathways and forms of action taken by older people in response to the abuse
3. Explore the coping strategies older people adopt to deal with the abuse
4. Identify the support needs of older people who have experienced abuse.