Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

FEMALE CAREGIVERS’ REFLECTIONS ON ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING: THE INTERSECTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ELDER CARE

  • Published:
Clinical Social Work Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As our population ages, increasing numbers of social workers and other therapists will provide counseling to women who are caregivers of frail elders. These female caregivers often face complex ethical dilemmas in caring for a frail elder. Furthermore, these dilemmas are compounded by domestic violence in the caregiver/frail elder relationship initiated before the onset of caregiving. Illustrated with case examples, this article presents an ethical decision-making model based on an empowerment framework for helping practitioners work with caregivers who face difficult dilemmas impacted by domestic violence. Implications for strengthening clinical practice with these caregivers are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abel E. M., (2000) Psychosocial treatments for battered women: A review of empirical research Research on Social Work Practice 10:55–77

    Google Scholar 

  • Bopp, J. Jr., & Coleson, R. E. (1996). A critique of family members as proxy decision makers without legal limits. Issues in Law and Medicine, 12, 3, 244. National Legal Center for the Medically Dependent and Disabled

  • Burlae K. K., (2004). The theory of mindful space: Identifying, understanding, and preventing abuse Affilia 19:85–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Busch N. B., (2004). Comparisons of moral reasoning levels between battered and non-battered women Journal of Social Work Education 40:57–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Busch N. B., Valentine D., (2000). Empowerment practice: A focus on battered women Affilia 15:82–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calderon V., Tennstedt S. L., (1998). Ethnic differences in the expression of caregiver burden: Results of a qualitative study Journal of Gerontological Social Work 30:159–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carr E. S., (2003). Rethinking empowerment theory using a feminist lens: The importance of process Affilia 18:8–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cavanagh K., (2003). Understanding women’s responses to domestic violence Qualitative Social Work 2:229–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang B., Noonan A. E., Tennstedt S. L., (1998). The role of religion/spirituality in coping with caregiving for disabled elders The Gerontologist 38:463–470

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Czaja S. J., Eisdorfer C., Schulz R., (2000). Future directions in caregiving: Implications for intervention research. In R. Schulz (Ed.), Handbook of dementia caregiving intervention research New York: Springer. pp. 283–319

    Google Scholar 

  • Danis F. S., (2003a). The criminalization of domestic violence: What social workers need to know Social Work 48:237–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Danis F. S., (2003b). Domestic violence and social work education: What do we know, what do we need to know? Journal of Social Work Education 29:215–224

    Google Scholar 

  • GlenMaye L., (1998). Empowerment of women In L. M. Gutierrez, R. J. Parsons, E. O. Cox, (Eds) Empowerment in social work practice Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing. 29–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Gondolf E. W.,(1998). Recognizing the strengths of battered women, In Gondolf E. W., eds Assessing woman battering in mental health services Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. 95–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta R., (2000). A path model of elder caregiving burden in India/Pakistani families in the United States International Journal of Aging and Human Development 51:95–313

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holstein M. B., Mitzen P. B., (2001). Ethics in community-based elder care, New York: Springer

    Google Scholar 

  • Koenig T., (2004). From the woman’s viewpoint: Ethical dilemmas confronted by women as informal caregivers of frail elders Families in Society 85:236–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Lempert L. B., (1996). Women’s strategies for survival: Developing agency in abusive relationships Journal of Family Violence 11:269–289

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loewenberg F., Dolgoff R., Harrington D., (2000). Ethical decisions for social work practice. (6.). Itasca, Illinois: F. E. Peacock

    Google Scholar 

  • McCullough L. B., Wilson N. L., Rhymes J. A., Teasdale T. A., (1999). Ethical issues in long term care. In T. F. Johnson, (Ed.), Handbook on ethical issues in aging Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. 305–325

    Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery R. J. V., Williams K. N., (2001). Implications of differential impacts of caregiving for future research on Alzheimer care Aging and Mental Health 5:S23–S34

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council. (2003). Elder mistreatment: Abuse, neglect and exploitation in an aging America. Washington, DC: National Academic Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson H. D., Nygren P., McInerney Y., Klein J., (2004). Screening women and elderly adults for family and intimate partner violence: A review of the evidence for the U. S. Preventative Services Task Force Annals of Internal Medicine 140:387–404

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Novak M., (1997). Issues in aging: An introduction to gerontology. New York: Longman

    Google Scholar 

  • Peled E., Eisikovits Z., Enosh G., Winstok Z., (2000). Choice and empowerment for battered women who stay: Toward a constructivist model Social Work 45:9–25

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reis M., Nahmiash D., (1995). Validation of the caregiver abuse screen (CASE) Canadian Journal on Aging 14:44–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Reis M., Nahmiash D., (1998). Validation of the indicators of abuse screen The Gerontologist 38:471–480

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schulz R., O’Brien A., Czaja S., Ory M., Norris R., Martire L. M., Belle S. H., Burgio L., Gitlin L., Coon D., Burns R., Gallagher-Thompson D., Stevens A., (2002). Dementia caregiving intervention research: In search of clinical significance The Gerontologist 42:589–602

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Snyder J. R., (2000). Impact of caregiver-receiver relationship quality on burden and satisfaction Journal of Women & Aging 12:147–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Solomon B., (1976). Black empowerment: Social work in oppressed communities. New York: Columbia University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Spano R. N., Koenig T. L., (2003). Moral dialogue: A worker-client interactional model Social Thought 22: 91–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tower L. E., (2003). Domestic violence screening: Education and institutional support correlates Journal of Social Work Education 29:479–494

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilke D. J., Vinton L., (2003). Domestic violence and aging: Teaching about their intersection Journal of Social Work Education 29:225–235

    Google Scholar 

  • Yates M. E., Tennstedt S., Chang B., (1999). Contributors to and mediators of psychological well-being for informal caregivers Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 54:P12–P22

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Terry L. Koenig Ph.D..

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Koenig, T.L., Rinfrette, E. & Lutz, W. FEMALE CAREGIVERS’ REFLECTIONS ON ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING: THE INTERSECTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ELDER CARE. Clin Soc Work J 34, 361–372 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-005-0023-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-005-0023-3

Keywords

Navigation