Elder Mistreatment

Since the late 1970s when Congressman Claude Pepper held widely publicized hearings on the mistreatment of the elderly, policy makers and practitioners have sought ways to protect older Americans from physical, psychological, and financial abuse. Yet, during the last 20 years fewer than 50 articles have addressed the shameful problem that abusers?and sometimes the abused themselves?want to conceal. Elder Mistreatment in an Aging America takes a giant step toward broadening our understanding of the mistreatment of the elderly and recommends specific research and funding strategies that can be used to deepen it. The book includes a discussion of the conceptual, methodological, and logistical issues needed to create a solid research base as well as the ethical concerns that must be considered when working with older subjects. It also looks at problems in determination of a report's reliability and the role of physicians, EMTs, and others who are among the first to recognize situations of mistreatment. Elder Mistreatment in an Aging America will be of interest to anyone concerned about the elderly and ways to intervene when abuse is suspected, including family members, caregivers, and advocates for the elderly. It will also be of interest to researchers, research sponsors, and policy makers who need to know how to advance our knowledge of this problem. Table of Contents Front Matter Executive Summary 1 Introduction 2 Concepts, Definitions, and Guidelines for Measurement 3 A Theoretical Model of Elder Mistreatment 4 The Occurrence of Elder Mistreatment 5 Risk Factors for Elder Mistreatment 6 Screening and Case Identification in Clinical Settings 7 Evaluating Interventions 8 Research Ethics 9 Moving Forward References APPENDIX A Elder Mistreatment Measures and Studies APPENDIX B Analysis of Elder Abuse and Neglect Definitions Under State Law APPENDIX C Elder Abuse and Neglect: History and Concepts APPENDIX D Biographical Sketches 10 Elder Mistreatment: Epidemiological Assessment Methodology 11 Ethical and Policy Issues in Research on Elder Abuse and Neglect 12 The Clinical and Medical Forensics of Elder Abuse and Neglect 13 Financial Abuse of the Elderly in Domestic Settings 14 Elder Abuse in Residential Long-Term Care Settings: What Is Known and What Information Is Needed? 15 Elder Abuse Intervention: Lessons from Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Initiatives Index