Overview
Elder abuse refers to intentional acts or intentional failure to act that causes harm to older adults, generally 60 or older, though this varies by legal jurisdictions.
For elders who aren’t necessarily capable of taking care of themselves and have caregivers, being intentionally over- or under-medicated can be classified as elder abuse. Seniors who have struggled with substance abuse in the past can be vulnerable for financial exploitation.
Commentary
Anecdotally, I’ve heard multiple stories of elders in treatment whose children become controlling over their finances and affairs while they’re aware. I won’t say this necessarily rises to the level of elder abuse, especially since the elders in question themselves don’t use that term to describe their frustrations, but it’s not hard to see how easily it could happen to someone.