In the introductory part of the thesis, I present the issue of domestic violence against older people and focus on ways of identifying and responding to such situations. I briefly describe various forms of violence and the vulnerability of older people. I also present home care services, which are often in the best position to detect signs of abuse through entering a person’s home. Furthermore, I describe the professional knowledge and competencies of social workers, as well as the intervention pathways available in Slovenia. The thesis also presents the legal framework for the prevention and response to domestic violence in this field and describes the process of inter-agency cooperation. In addition, the research examines examples of good practice from abroad, particularly in the United States and Canada, where specialized programmes have been developed for older people who are victims of domestic violence. The empirical part of the thesis is based on qualitative research. Through semi-structured interviews, I explored the experiences of four groups of social welfare professionals who encounter cases of domestic violence against older people in their professional practice. The findings indicate that interviewees frequently encounter overlapping forms of elder abuse within family, with neglect being the most prevalent. The identification of and intervention in such cases are hindered by the victim’s dependence on the perpetrator, reluctance to report abuse, and the social normalization of such behaviours. Social welfare professionals face numerous barriers, including systemic gaps and insufficient inter-agency cooperation, leading them to conclude that victims are inadequately protected in practice. The most significant obstacle is the lack of specialized crisis accommodation for older people outside institutional care settings. In the conclusion, I propose several improvements, including the establishment of such crisis accommodations, the introduction of specialized training in this field, the realignment of the legal definition of domestic violence, and implementation of broader research involving other professional disciplines and an analysis of foreign protection models.
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