Domestic elder abuse is similar to other types of domestic violence, occurring within a domestic setting, usually the victim's home, and generally carried out by another family member. The individuals responsible for domestic elder abuse may be any relative of the victim's, including his/her children, grandchildren, spouses, or siblings. In many cases, caretakers are also responsible for violence and abuse. Under elderly abuse laws, many different types of behavior constitute elder abuse, including physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual assault, and financial exploitation. These types of abuse all have extremely detrimental effects for victims. These consequences can be both physical and psychological in nature, and they may be irreversible at that.

Elderly abuse laws recognize any physically, psychologically, or financially harmful behavior as a form of abuse. Elderly abuse laws also acknowledge the particular struggles that elderly individuals face that often make them vulnerable to violence and exploitation. In many cases, victims of domestic elder abuse are completely dependent upon the individual that is subjecting them to abuse. The victim may require the care and the support of the perpetrator on a regular basis. For example, the offender may provide the victim with necessities, such as food, clothing, transportation, as well as access to medication and financial funds. The victim may not have the ability to escape his/her abusive environment, as he/she is unable to transport himself/herself. Likewise, a victim of domestic elder abuse may be extremely confused and unsure about the situation that he/she is in. He/she many not fully understand the abuse that he/she is being subjected to. As a result of the physical abuse that he/she is subjected to, a victim often experiences embarrassment, fear, and depression, which makes it difficult to talk about the abuse that he/she is experiencing. As for psychological domestic elder abuse, it may manifest in many different ways. An offender may be outright mean to the victim, embarrassing, humiliating and degrading him/her. Other instances of psychological abuse occur when an elderly individual is ignored and disregarded, as if his/her desires, opinions, and ideas were unimportant, as well as when an elder is spoken to or treated like a child.

Elderly abuse laws recognize that elders may also be subjected to sexual abuse. As they are often incapable of defending themselves, elderly individuals may be targeted for acts of sexual molestation and assault. This not only includes unwanted sexual groping, but also acts such as undressing in front of an individual, undressing the victim, or making the victim observe sexual acts. Elderly abuse laws, too, forbid individuals from improperly or irresponsibly utilizing an elderly individual's financial resources or property. Yet elders are frequently targeted for this type of exploitation. This is especially true when he/she is suffering from disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia. An individual can petition a court to become an elder's legal guardian, and if granted, he/she will not only become responsible for the elder's health care, but the petitioner will also receive access to the ward's funds. Although elderly abuse laws do not permit guardians to utilize an individual's finances unless it is to directly benefit the ward, many individuals take advantage of their power and utilize their authority to make personal purchases.