No, thank you: reasons for withdrawal from older adult abuse support services

This study explored the prevalence, reasons, and predictors of service withdrawal by victims in a sample of 151 older adult abuse cases reported to a specialist social work service. Withdrawal occurred in 34% of cases, after an average of 3 months of contact. The most common reasons for withdrawal were victim denial of abuse and unwillingness to engage with the intervention plan. Denial and self-neglect significantly predicted withdrawal, but only denial remained predictive when both variables were entered into the regression model. Results emphasize the need to screen for and address withdrawal risk, with providers targeting denial of abuse specifically.