Research indicates that reaching agreement about elder abuse is plagued by difficulties and that professionals and academics have been overly involved in debates about definitions, incidence, and prevalence at the expense of adequate theories. The way elder abuse is experienced and understood by victims themselves and by those working in the field heavily influences the way abusive events are conceptualized and categorized. Most definitions of elder abuse include physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, and financial or material abuse and exploitation. The "classic" victim of elder abuse is described as a female over 75 years of age who lives at home with adult caregivers, is physically and/or mentally impaired, has no significant role, and is isolated and fearful. Since elder abuse occurs in the context of family relations, five major explanations rooted in family violence theories are examined in research on the relationship between elder abuse and family violence: pathology of the abuser, cycle of violence, dependency, isolation, and external stress. A feminist analysis of elder abuse is presented that questions whether criminal proceedings represent the most appropriate approach to dealing with individuals who abuse elderly persons. The author concludes that no adequate theory and practice can be developed unless complex gender issues inherent in elder abuse are addressed as a product of dominant ideologies about the family, old age, masculinity, and sexuality. 44 references