The abuse of older persons within the community is a source of major concern in Europe and beyond. Although elder abuse has historically been considered primarily a social welfare issue and a problem of aging, a more contemporary viewpoint is that it is a population health issue.1 Findings from the cross-national abuse survey, ABUEL (Abuse of the Elderly in Europe), conducted in 2009 demonstrate that 26.0% of people aged 60–84 years living in 7 European urban communities (Stuttgart, Germany; Athens, Greece; Ancona, Italy; Kaunas, Lithuania; Porto, Portugal; Granada, Spain; Stockholm, Sweden) experienced some form of abuse during the 12 months prior to the survey. The survey provides an estimation of 433,256 people in this age group who experience any type of abuse every year.2Regardless of the nature or type of abuse, it may lead to physical and mental health problems and decreased quality of life for older persons. This may lead to more intensive use of health care services and additional expenditures for health systems. However, this association is investigated only occasionally and needs more attention from researchers and decision makers.