Time for policy: Legislative response to elder abuse and neglect in Israel

In Israel, as elsewhere, awareness of the problem of elder abuse and neglect has grown in recent years. This article traces the development of Israeli legislation dealing with elder abuse and neglect and analyzes that legislation from a developmental perspective. Four legislative generations can be discerned, the first of which is characterized by paternalistic social legislation. The second legislative generation is distinguished by efforts to adopt a punitive approach and make the reporting of abuse mandatory, while the third emphasizes the roles protection and treatment play in the context of domestic violence. The fourth legislative generation is in its early stages, but there are signs that legislators are now emphasizing the need to bolster education and provide information and expertise. The development of these several legislative generations has resulted in the need to decide what direction Israeli legislation should take in the future. This article considers various relevant issues and argues that, in the field of elder abuse and neglect in Israel, the way forward lies in the establishment of a holistic and rational legislative policy.