The psychiatrist and other mental health professionals must explore past and current behaviors and relationships that may contribute to the current maltreatment of elderly persons. The psychiatrist assesses the likelihood that a working alliance can be established and that ongoing psychiatric interventions can contribute to compliance and cooperation with the multifaceted interventions that may be needed. The psychiatrist also has a major role in assessing the patient's competence, level of autonomous functioning, and dependency. The psychiatric team can facilitate exploring the availability of caregiving resources, assess their appropriateness for each situation, and enhance the receptiveness to interventions. This chapter also discusses the epidemiology of maltreatment of elderly persons, the history of recognition of maltreatment of elderly persons and its relationship to government economics, and case histories and etiologies of abusive behaviors. A concluding legal commentary discusses issues related to victims, other family members, and offenders, as well as guidance for mental health professionals and practitioners. 41 references and a 38-item bibliography