epistemic injustice

Objectives: This article explores a hidden and under-acknowledged dimension of caring in family life: when older people with care needs act in a harmful, abusive or violent way towards the family member(s) who cares for them. Methods: Thirty-eight health and social care professionals, working in the UK, took part in five focus groups to explore their experience of working with families in this situation.

Family carers affected by violent, abusive or harmful behaviour by the older person for whom they care face social and epistemic challenges in developing and sharing knowledge about their experiences. These difficulties have contributed to a situation in which there is a paucity of evidence and public discourse about how we understand violence and harm instigated by people who have care needs or are 'vulnerable'. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study that involved 12 in‐depth interviews with female carers affected by violence, abuse or harm.