Maltreatment in the Elderly

The present article is a review of the literature intending to describe the history of

efforts to define and dimension maltreatment in the elderly, from its beginnings to our days. The review shows how, in Chile, some progress has been made according to the findings of novel information in this matter. It describes how maltreatment is defined in Chile and the different types of maltreatment there exist. At the same time, it specifies the characteristics of the actors (victims – victimizers) and the risk factors that lead the elderly to face a vulnerable situation.