Cultural Diversity and the Mistreatment of Older People in Black and Minority Ethnic Communities: Some Implications for Service Provision

Abstract

Previous research on mistreatment of older people in black and minority ethnic communities has identified limited service responses and the need to consider mistreatment as an issue not only for individuals but also for families, communities, and institutions. The impact of cultural factors on understandings, experiences, and remedies for mistreatment has been debated. Drawing on empirical research in the United Kingdom involving service providers and ethnically-diverse community members, the article explores implications of cultural variation for service provision. Clear gaps exist between service provision and people experiencing mistreatment due to structural and contextual factors; cultural factors have a relatively minor impact.

Keywords:

• older people
• black and minority ethnic
• elder mistreatment
• elder abuse
• culture

Acknowledgments

This article was reviewed and accepted under the editorship of Dr. Georgia J. Anetzberger.

The authors wish to acknowledge and thank the Big Lottery Fund for funding and the following organizations and individuals for their support: Age Concern Scotland, Black and Minority Ethnic Elders Group Scotland, Sue Tester, Pek Yeoung Berry, and Cherry Rowlings.

Notes

1. In the American literature, the term “maltreatment” is used to similar effect.

2. The good practice feedback is in other publications (Bowes, 2008a, 2008b).

3. Carstairs scores indicate levels of affluence and deprivation of neighborhoods (http://cdu.mimas.ac.uk/related/deprivation.htm) and were used because they can be identified for both English and Scottish postcodes; 1 represents the most affluent neighbourhood and 7, the most deprived.

4. Full details of the research methods are given in the main report (Bowes, 2008b).

5. Service development is rapid in this field—at the time of the study, the language of “adult protection” was paramount, and therefore we use it in the discussion. Subsequently, the language of “adult safeguarding” came to prominence.

6. Respondents are identified by a number and their self-defined ethnicity is indicated.

7. In all such cases, interviewers followed a protocol which included supplying information, if the discloser wanted it, about where to seek help.