In order to address the study aim and objectives, a
qualitative research approach was adopted, involving
in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of nine older
people, recruited through the HSE senior case workers
(SCWs) with responsibility for managing cases of elder
abuse in Ireland. Only older people who met the
inclusion criteria were approached to take part in the
study. The inclusion criteria stipulated that the older
person should have experienced abuse since reaching 65
years of age; experienced substantiated abuse, whether
physical, psychological, sexual, financial abuse or neglect
and involving someone with whom they had ‘a
relationship of trust’. Participants should have had their
case closed or considered informally resolved by their
assigned SCW, have the capacity to give informed
consent to partake in the study, be mentally and
emotionally stable to speak about their experiences, as
confirmed by their SCW and not be at serious risk or
harm because of their participation in the study. Ethical
approval was granted by UCD Human Research Ethics
Committee to undertake the study.
The interviews were conducted during the period May to
November 2011. A total of nine older people (2 males
and 7 females), aged 67 to 83 years, participated in the
study. Interviews lasted approximately one to two hours
and most took place in the participants’ place of residence.