Almost Half of Abuse of Elderly in Israel Caused by Their Children
In preparation for the International Day of Awareness to Combat Abuse and Neglect of Senior Citizens, which is observed worldwide on June ...
Jerusalem, 12 June, 2025 (TPS-IL) — In preparation for the International Day of Awareness to Combat Abuse and Neglect of Senior Citizens, which is observed worldwide on June 15th, Israel’s Ministry of Social Affairs published the annual data on harm committed against senior citizens in Israel.
According to the data:
About half (48%) of all injuries to senior citizens are caused by their children;
Spouses make up 34% of all abusers;
The rate of harm by an Israeli therapist is 3% (123 cases out of all cases);
The rate of harm by a foreign caregiver is 1% (68 cases).
In addition, there was a sharp decrease in injuries committed by people outside the family circle – such as neighbors, friends, or foreign caregivers – possibly due to closures, tighter family supervision, and avoidance of outside contact during the war.
The most commonly reported sources are social workers from social services departments (14%), family members (14%), and independent referral by the victim (16%).
Many inquiries also come from the health system (16%).
