To investigate this problem, elderly abuse victims in Detroit completed questionnaires and interviews; their families and social service and health agencies were also interviewed. The abuser tended to be the child of the victim in about half the cases with sons and daughters equally responsible. Other abusers included spouses, roomers, landlords, siblings, and grandchildren. Victims tended to be from multi-problem families. Agency problems included difficulty in identifying victims and a reluctance to intervene. The findings suggest a need to establish care standards to improve referrals and services. Case studies are included to illustrate the problem of abuse. (Resources in Education (ERIC) abstract)