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While  maltreatment of the elderly may not be a new phenomenon only recently it has come to the attention of the public as social problem .During old age elderly people face different situations which produce crisis in their life.The most frequent cited crisis that are related to loss including widowhood,increased vulnerability to disease,pain hospitalization and physical dependency.The other factors are loss of income,of status,reduction or loss of physical sensory and cognitive functioning and preparation and preoccupation with death and dying.

As the elderly people grow older,they lose friends and spouses and become more dependent on their immediate families.The total dependence produces a crisis and tensions. The range of problems the elderly can experience are abuse,including lack of proper housing,untreated medical conditions and lack of social services,financial exploitation,repeated insults,threats and abusive behaviour. Many elderly family members are too embarrassed to admit that they have raised a child of such behaviour and most of them blame themselves for the abuser’s behaviour.A large number of elderly also have fear of punishment in shape of isolation,which prevents them from leaving their children.

It is further argued that if elderly people are physically ,emotionally or economically dependent upon their children,they may be unsure of alternatives available to them.An important problem is that the alternative available to the aged family members who may wish to leave an abusive environment are often considered worse . Retirement therefore becomes a traumatic situation for the person from being a breadwinner to a person without an identity.This crisis often leads to depression and a feeling of inferiority.Housing and money play pivotal roles in the adjustments that have to be made for living sedate,retired life. A healthy joint family is ideal for preventing such trauma and make this crisis a wonderful experience.