Elder abuse is the mistreatment, neglect, exploitation, or manipulation of old people. This definition has been adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) from a definition put forward by Hourglass (formerly Action on Elder Abuse) in the UK. Laws protecting the elderly from abuse are similar to and related to laws protecting dependent adults from abuse.
Elder abuse includes harms by people an older person knows or has a relationship with, such as a spouse, partner, or family member, a friend or neighbor, or people an older person relies on for services. Many forms of elder abuse are recognized as types of domestic violence or family violence since they are committed by family members. Paid caregivers have also been known to prey on elderly patients.