Some psychological aspects of elderly people victimization

The article raises the problem of elderly people victimization in the world community. Basing on the studies of foreign authors it provides a generalized typology of abuses in relation to persons of the elder age category, and identifies the main victimogenic factors. Among them are the age, health condition, social activity of the victim and the peculiarities of his environment. Among the psychological factors the first place is taken by ageism - prejudices towards old age and elderly people, and in its extremely negative form - their discrimination.. Ageism may provoke people to commit different abuses towards elderly people. On the other hand, the behavior of the elderly people changes, not only raising their victimity, but also hardening the existing prejudices of the society. Stereotypes inherent to ageism, both positive and negative, show themselves among the majority of the people, including the specialists in helping professions. In view of the constantly increasing share of elderly people in the world community and the necessity to develop measures of prevention of their victimization, the declared problem needs a more detailed examination.

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