Skip to:

Elder Abuse/Neglect « Elder Care

Elder Abuse

 

     Articles, Publications, Organizations and Resources
     Regarding Elder Abuse/Neglect

 

Articles About Elder Abuse & Neglect

  • Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation and Misappropriation of Property/Revised Federal Nursing Home Regulations (The Consumer Voice, 2018)
  • A Hidden Crime (WashingtonPost.com – Jan. 27, 2008)
    As though declining health, impending mortality and other challenges weren't hard enough, too often old age is also plagued by abuse, neglect and exploitation.
  • Elder Abuse & Financial Exploitation (8/15/2018)
    Since 1993, the Commission has been at the forefront of efforts to expand and improve the justice system’s role in preventing, detecting, and remedying the devastating problem of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation (hereafter referred to generally as elder abuse unless otherwise indicated). This year those activities were concentrated in four areas.
  • Elder abuse under-identified in U.S. emergency departments (10/18/2016)
    One in 7,700 emergency room visits are diagnosed as elder abuse, according to a new study. In a new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, a team of researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of California San Diego, and Weill Cornell Medicine used a nationally-representative data set to estimate the frequency with which emergency providers make a formal diagnosis of elder abuse.
  • Elder Abuse – What is It? (Time Goes By – 7/3/12)
    You think you know the answer to that, right? Well, not so fast. I did too until I started looking into elder abuse for us. There are a zillion definitions, several kinds of abuse, no useful statistics and differing laws in every U.S. state.  
  • Eldercare litigation against employers increases  
    As the number of employees that care for sick or aging parents increases, so do their claims of employer discrimination.
  • Fight Against Elder Abuse
    The national aging network works tirelessly to ensure that older Americans remain independent, healthy, and safe in their homes and communities for as long as possible.
  • Prevent Elder Abuse by Staying in Touch (SignOn San Diego – 11/2/10)
    Some studies are showing that most people who commit elder abuse have themselves been abused as children. The perpetuity of abuse does not lessen the horrendous impact this crime visits on the victim’s state of mind, physical well-being, and dignity. Older adults who are abused and neglected are three times more likely to die earlier than those who are not abused. Although statistics hide the personal degradation of abuse, it is important to understand the context so that we can lessen its cancerous growth in our community.  
  • Seniors and Domestic Violence (Elder Law of MI – 10/7/17)
    Seniors face unique challenges when domestic violence happens to them. If an older person experiences abuse these factors increase the risks and the consequences.
  • The Shame of Elder Abuse and the Silence of Washington (Huffington Post – 12/29/11)
    As we close the holiday season, we are reminded that one sad reality, elder abuse, takes no holiday. In fact, recent studies show that abuse of older adults, especially financial abuse, increases dramatically during the holiday season. Today, more than one in ten older adults will be victims of some form of elder abuse, with a collective loss of almost $3 billion a year. Just before adjourning for the holiday, Congress passed a massive spending bill for the rest of this fiscal year. For the second year in a row, Congress failed to provide funding for the only comprehensive federal elder abuse prevention law — the Elder Justice Act. This is both shameful and shortsighted. 

Publications About Elder Abuse & Neglect

  • A Systematic Review of Interventions for Elder Abuse (NCBI – 2009)
    The purpose of this study was to use rigorous systematic review methods to summarize the effectiveness of interventions for elder abuse.
  • Bruising as a Marker of Physical Elder Abuse (UC Irvine Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse & Neglect)
    DOJ-funded studies on bruising in older adults.
  • Consumer Voice Fact Sheet
    Federal law gives each nursing home resident the right to quality care and quality of life. This includes freedom from neglect, abuse, exploitation, and misappropriation of property.
  • Elder Abuse Screening Tools for Healthcare Professionals 
    Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals have a key role in elder abuse detection, which is why it is so important that The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) released a comprehensive resource on elder abuse screening tools. A brief introduction to elder abuse screening, screening tools, and reporting resources are included.
  • Financial Abuse of the Dependent Elder (American Bar Association Family Law Quarterly – Spring 2016)
  • Justice for All: Ending Elder Abuse, Neglect and Financial Exploitation
    United States Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing – March 2, 2011 
    The committee hearing focused on elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation. Among the witnesses providing testimony was Mickey Rooney, actor, elder abuse victim and advocate.
  • Neglect of Older Persons: Legal Issues Related to Caregiver Duty and Liability (National Center on Elder Abuse)
    An introduction to legal issues related to liability for neglect of older persons. 
  • New York State Elder Abuse Prevention and Intervention Services Survey: Report of Findings for New York City
    NYC Elder Abuse Center, along with the Lifespan of Greater Rochester, designed, piloted, and conducted a survey to assess the current adequacy of elder abuse victim prevention and intervention services in New York State. Notable findings include the need for elder abuse public awareness and mental health services for victims, and that there are numerous obstacles to receiving crime victim compensation.  
  • Social support can diminish negative effects of elder abuse
    Elder abuse represents a serious and growing public safety and public health concern. Although elder abuse has been shown to have negative effects, very little is known about the possible consequences of elder abuse over time, particularly long-term outcomes. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has been critically committed to expanding knowledge regarding this issue.
  • The Extent of Abuse by Guardians Is Unknown, but Some Measures Exist to Help Protect Older Adults (11/16/16)
    GAO was asked to review whether abusive practices by guardians are widespread. This report describes what is known about the extent of elder abuse by guardians; and what measures federal agencies and selected state and local guardianship programs have taken to help protect older adults with guardians.
  • Understanding Elder Abuse – A Scoping Study (June 2017)
    This review begins with a broad discussion of elder abuse by considering the definition of the term and the prevalence of the behaviour, the impact elder abuse has on older people and the wider population, and the family context within which elder abuse most often occurs. It then considers the different ways elder abuse is conceptualised, and how it intersects with a range of other issues including ageism, family violence and conflict, caregiving, gender and sexuality, and culture and suggests that an applied ecological approach (which considers the individual and their place within their community and society) is the most comprehensive way of conceptualising elder abuse.
  • What are signs that a nursing home resident is being sexually abused?
    This is a fact sheet created by NCEA in collaboration with National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care and National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA). The fact sheet includes physical, social indicators of sexual abuse as well as  resources to reach out to for more information and assistance.

Organizations and Services About Elder Abuse & Neglect

  • American Bar Association – Commission on Law and Aging
    The ABA Commission on Law and Aging is a collaborative and interdisciplinary leader of the Association’s work to strengthen and secure the legal rights, dignity, autonomy, quality of life, and quality of care of aging persons.
  • Center for Elders and the Courts
    Provides the nation's courts with resources, information, and training related to aging, probate issues, and elder abuse.
  • Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse & Neglect (U of CA, Irvine, School of Medicine)
    Links to resources for information about elder abuse, law and aging.
  • Clearinghouse on Abuse & Neglect of the Elderly (CANE)
    The Clearinghouse on Abuse & Neglect of the Elderly produces annotated bibliographies based on a computerized search of more than 100 key words in the area of elder abuse. It also contains more than 4,000 printed materials that are available for a small fee.  
  • HelpAge International
    The secretariat to a global network of organisations promoting the right of all older people to lead dignified, healthy and secure lives.
  • Illinois Department of Aging
    The Elder Abuse and Neglect Program, under the authority of the Elder Abuse and Neglect Act (320 ILCS 20/1 et seq.), responds to reports of alleged abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of persons 60 years of age and older. The program provides investigation, intervention and follow-up services to victims. Reports increase each year, as the older population grows and awareness of elder abuse increases.
  • National Center on Elder Abuse
    The goal of the NCEA is to improve the national response to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation by gathering, housing, disseminating, and stimulating innovative, validated methods of research, practice policy and education.
  • National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life
    NCALL has been the nationally recognized leader on program development, policy and technical assistance and training that addresses the nexus between domestic violence, sexual assault and elder abuse/neglect.  
  • National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
    An association of researchers, practitioners, educators, and advocates dedicated to protecting the safety, security, and dignity of America's most vulnerable citizens.
  • Senior Resource Alliance (SRA)
    Senior Resource Alliance (SRA) is your local resource for accessing the many services and programs of the state and federal government, available to senior citizens, their caregivers and family members.
  • Senior Services (Chicago Police Department)
    Responsible for facilitating and coordinating law-enforcement services provided to the senior-citizen community; developing and implementing training for district senior-services officers; and educating other members of the Department of services available to facilitate police assistance to the senior-citizen population and their families
  • The Elder Justice Coalition
    A national advocacy voice supporting elder justice in America and seeking to increase public awareness of the tragedy of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation at the local, state, and national levels.

Resources: Websites & Blogs About Elder Abuse & Neglect

 

divider image