Relatives’ Understanding of Perpetrators of Elder Family Financial Exploitation: A Bioecological Approach to Understanding Risk Factors

This study sought to understand risk factors for elder family financial exploitation (EFFE) perpetrated most frequently by family member power-of-attorney agents, appointed by older relatives. Constructivist grounded theory (CGT) was used, and an adapted Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model helped to organize the coded interview transcript excerpts that illuminated characteristics of perpetrators, and family and other contextual influences. Problem sensitivity and privacy laws necessitated the use of convenience sampling. Examination of participants’ descriptions of perpetrators’ personal characteristics, interpersonal family dynamics, proximal processes, and communication revealed EFFE risk factors. After data analysis and code organization using Bronfenbrenner’s model, four themes emerged: 1) individual risk factors for becoming a perpetrator, 2) risk factors within families, 3) professional actions and attitudes contributing to EFFE, and 4) contextual influences from outside the family. Implications and future research are discussed.