Interviews were conducted between September 1985 and February 1986 with 2,020 community-dwelling elderly persons regarding their experience of physical violence, verbal aggression, and neglect. The results showed that approximately 32 per thousand of this population were victims of maltreatment. This figure translates to an estimated 8,646 to 13,487 abused and neglected elders in the greater Boston area and 701,000 to 1,093,560 nationwide. Elderly persons living alone had much lower rates of abuse. Among persons living with others, those living with a spouse and at least one other person seemed particularly vulnerable to maltreatment. Poor health was also associated with maltreatment. The study found equal numbers of abused women and abused men and revealed that the risk of abuse for elderly men was double that for elderly women. The results indicated substantial underreporting of elder abuse. Other research on elder abuse is reviewed. Tables and over 30 references.