As conversations about coercive control gain momentum, much of the focus has rightly been on intimate partner relationships. But there is another, severely overlooked dimension of this issue: the coercive control of seniors by the very people they trust and depend on — adult children, relatives, and caregivers.
For many older adults, especially those living with cognitive decline, coercive control can slowly erode autonomy and safety. It rarely appears as sudden violence. Instead, it emerges gradually:
An adult child quietly takes over a parent’s finances
Access to bank accounts or personal funds is restricted
Social connections are cut off
Threats, guilt, and manipulation become tools of daily control
This form of abuse transforms trust and dependence into instruments of power. And because it unfolds subtly, behind closed doors, it often goes unrecognized — legally and socially.
While the justice system is beginning to acknowledge coercive control in intimate partner abuse, seniors remain largely invisible in this conversation. Their experiences don’t always fit the narratives we are most familiar with, yet the consequences can be just as devastating.
