Elder Abuse and Oral Health Care Providers: An Intervention to Increase Knowledge and Self-Perceived Likelihood to Report

The objective of this study was to ascertain whether a symposium on elder abuse raises the level of knowledge and the self-reported likelihood to report elder abuse among licensed oral health care providers. 130 dentists, hygienists, and assistants voluntarily attended a 4-hour training symposium and completed both pre- and postsurveys testing their level of knowledge. Results by statistical analyses, using repeated measurements, Wilcoxon signed-rank test for nonparametric data, showed increases in awareness of reporting process, knowledge/awareness of elder abuse, knowledge of mandated reporter requirements, and comfort levels with recognizing signs and symptoms of elder abuse and neglect. In conclusion, a symposium can increase the self-reported likelihood of reporting elder abuse.     

Assessing Knowledge of Elder Financial Abuse: A First Step in Enhancing Prosecutions

Financial exploitation by a family member is the most common form of elder mistreatment; yet, it is a difficult crime to detect and prosecute. Psychologists have traditionally assisted prosecutors by assessing decisional capacity and opining in court whether an alleged victim was able to consent to the contested transactions. This article proposes and evaluates a novel form of psychological expertise in financial abuse trials—social framework testimony to reeducate jurors who are misinformed about aspects of this largely hidden crime. Findings suggest that, as in cases of child and spousal abuse, social framework testimony on the general dispositional and situational factors inherent in elder financial abuse may enhance prosecutions.     

Race and Type of Maltreatment in an Elder Abuse System

This paper examines the relationship between race and types of maltreatment experienced by elderly people. In particular, it uses logistic regression analysis to examine whether race of victim is associated with self-neglect, neglect, physical abuse, and material abuse. The findings indicate that race is related to the likelihood of self-neglect and neglect but in opposite directions; whites are more likely to be associated with self-neglect, and blacks with neglect by others. Race was not significantly related to the likelihood of being physically or materially abused. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Elder Abuse and Neglect: A Survey of Clergy Awareness,Knowledge, and Intervention Preferences

This article explores the research question: What is the perceived level of elder abuse and neglect awareness and knowledge among Protestant clergy members in Kentucky? Of the 300 clergy contacted, 160 participated, for a response rate of 53.3%. Pearson Chi-Square analyses were used to determine statistical significance, and phi coefficient correlations examined the strength of the associations between variables. Findings indicate that approximately 44% of clergy members in this study report some “awareness” of elder abuse and neglect. However, 56% of clergy respondents do not know that Kentucky is an “any person” mandatory reporting state. Specifically, participating clergy appear poorly informed about legal requirements for reporting elder abuse and neglect and perceive types of abuse differently. Untrained clergy with little formal training indicate a willingness to provide therapy to victims despite reporting that they do not feel qualified to do so.     

Developing Strategies for the Prevention,Detection and Management of Elder Abuse: The Irish Experience

ABSTRACT

It is only within the past two decades that elder abuse has received governmental attention in Ireland. There had been little awareness, and no structures in place to tackle this problem prior to this. Media highlighting of particular cases, and an exploratory study undertaken in 1998, prompted the setting up of a governmental working group on elder abuse. Unique to this group was the trialling of a proposed system in two pilot sites. This allowed for recommendations based on actual practice, and has lead to the adoption of a network of elder abuse caseworkers, among other recommendations.     

Times of Transition: Elder Abuse and Neglect in Israel

ABSTRACT

The present paper addresses the advancement of research, policies, legislation, and practice experiences designed to deal with the phenomenon of elder abuse and neglect in Israel in times of transition. The paper presents a short overview of the demographic scene, reflecting population characteristics and needs that impact care giving as well as elder abuse and neglect. The developments of scientific knowledge and its accumulation, especially the empirical data from the first national survey on elder abuse and neglect are discussed. Further, legislative developments relating to four generational laws and the advancement of policies and innovative practice experiences are described and analyzed. Finally, future challenges in the field are identified.     

The Vulnerability for Elder Abuse Among a Sample of Custodial Grandfathers: An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT

Older adults have been known to make sacrifices in their caregiving roles. Gerontology literature on custodial grandparents has primarily focused on grandmothers and the challenges they face when they assume primary care for grandchildren. Little is known about the risks that older men face when they become custodial grandparents. This article highlights types and warning signs of abuse, exploitation and neglect. Exploratory study was undertaken with a racially diverse group of custodial grandfathers to fill a gap in the literature about the vulnerability for elder abuse, exploitation and neglect as expressed by older Black, Latino and White custodial grandfathers. To provide a more inclusive understanding of elder abuse, areas of vulnerability were identified for consideration by practitioners, educators and researchers. The implications of this research point to the need to rethink elder abuse assessment, prevention and intervention strategies with older men.     

Elder Abuse in a Land of Tradition: The Case of Israel's Arabs

ABSTRACT

This study attempted to assess the scope and nature of elder abuse and neglect in one traditional group currently undergoing change: the Arabs in Israel. One hundred and twenty-eight human service and health professionals in northern Israel were asked to report about all cases of elder abuse and neglect they had encountered for a period of 18 months prior to the study. Findings showed that overall Arab elders in Israel have a 2.5% rate of abuse and neglect (excluding self neglect). This figure is somewhat lower than that reported in the literature for either developed or developing societies. Rates were higher in urban areas, somewhat lower in suburban areas, and lowest in isolated villages. These results lend some support to modernization theories of aging and elder abuse. The profile of the abused elder is not significantly different from that of his Western counterpart. Among alleged perpetrators, however, sons and daughters-in-law rank highest, reflecting cultural patterns in some traditional societies. The article makes some early recommendations in the area of worker training and service enhancement.     

Elder Abuse and Barriers to Help Seeking in Chennai,India: A Qualitative Study

This qualitative study attempts to understand why older persons abused by their family members in India do not seek help. In-depth interviews over three visits were conducted with six adults aged 65 years and above who had been physically abused by their sons/daughters-in-law. The interviews were transcribed and themes identified using a thematic analysis method. The barriers preventing a person from seeking help were service-related (accessibility, lack of trust); religious (Karma); family (deleterious effects on family, family members’ responses to help seeking); and individual (socioeconomic dependency, self-blame). The unique findings that surfaced were fear of losing one's identity by losing one's family, attributing abuse to past sins, and concern over not attaining salvation if one's sons did not perform funeral rites. The authors propose a checklist to explore and assess the barriers to seeking help. Recommendations for geroprofessionals in overcoming barriers include implementing outreach programs and changing the misconceptions regarding Karma.     

Investigating Preexposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Uptake Among Black African Communities in East London and Hertfordshire: A Brief Report of a Mixed Methods Study

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated the factors influencing preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake among Black African heterosexuals in the United Kingdom, while using a 2-phase sequential mixed-methods design. Methods: Surveys from 247 mixed-gender participants were followed by focus groups involving 18 women. Results: Despite the general lack of HIV and PrEP awareness, the study found significant associations between HIV testing, HIV awareness, PrEP awareness, and uptake interest. Stigma was also seen as key barrier: PrEP being connected with HIV positivity, promiscuity, and risky behaviors. Conclusion: This study underlines the need for service providers to develop HIV-prevention interventions that take into account the Black African sociocultural contexts in the United Kingdom.     

Awareness of Elder Abuse Among Community Health and Social Care Staff in Northern Ireland: An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT

This article reports on one of the first surveys of multi-disciplinary staff awareness of elder abuse in this region of the United Kingdom (UK). Forty staff from eight professional groups in the Southern Health and Services Board area were surveyed about their knowledge of elder abuse, the types of help they thought they could offer the abused and the abuser, and the level of abuse in their current caseload. Thirty-five per cent of respondents had cases of physical, psychological, financial, and sexual abuse as well as care-giver neglect of people aged 65 and over in their caseloads. The findings suggest that while staff had differing levels of awareness of elder abuse, further training is necessary.     

The Prevalence of Elder Abuse and Neglect of Older Adults Who Access Health and Social Services in London,Ontario, Canada

It is anticipated that older adults who seek professional intervention may be more at risk of abuse and neglect. This paper reports a prevalence study that focused on older adults who accessed health and social service organizations over a three month period. Respondents ranged from 55 to 100 with a mean age of 73.8 years. Over a quarter of the sample reported at least one form of violence during their lifespan. Higher prevalence rates than in the general population were found. Attempted material abuse was most frequent, followed by verbal abuse, physical abuse, unintentional neglect, actual material abuse, and intentional neglect.     

Research as Clinical Practice: Creating a Positive Research Experience for Survivors of Sexual Abuse by Professionals

A team of practitioners created a research process that we hoped would be educational and healing for survivors of sexual abuse by professionals. In order to look at the impact of the study, we included a follow-up debriefing questionnaire designed to gather data about respondents' experiences. Nearly all respondents found the study both helpful and difficult. The potential for research to be educational or healing is demonstrated by these findings. The fact that research on trauma is likely to be painful or upsetting even when it is helpful to respondents underscores the importance of making potential risks of participation very clear.     

Knowledge and Skills of Sexual Abuse Prevention: A Study on School-Aged Children in Beijing,China

To examine the level of child sexual abuse prevention knowledge and skills in a sample of school-aged children, a total of 559 children from first to fifth grade were recruited from one primary school in Beijing, China. Participants were asked to finish a questionnaire surveying their knowledge and skills of child sexual abuse prevention. Results showed that accurate rate of knowledge on child sexual abuse prevention were between 44.0% and 80.0%. Percentage of participants having applied the self-protection skills of “saying ‘no,’” “going away,” and “telling adults” properly in hypothetical situations was 57.4%, 28.3%, and 48.3%, respectively. Third-to-fifth graders had a better performance than first-to-second graders, and girls performed better than boys. Findings suggest that Chinese school-aged children are in need of knowledge and skills related to child sexual abuse prevention, and education programs should be developed as soon as possible.     

Elder Abuse and Neglect in South Africa: A Case of Marginalization,Disrespect, Exploitation and Violence

ABSTRACT

The problem of elder abuse and neglect in South Africa is widespread, but the definition of abuse remains problematic. An expanded typology is needed to classify certain types of abuse reported commonly, such as marginalization, disrespect, exploitation and violence. The history of elder abuse and responses is traced, relevant legislation and selected intervention programs are reviewed, and research and the status of elder abuse are evaluated. Interventions to address sociostructural factors that impact elders' settings, increase their vulnerability, and diminish their ability to realize human rights can contribute to an improvement in their condition and a reduction in abuse and rights violations in the long-term.     

Turkey: A Pilot Study of Elder Mistreatment in a Convenience Sample

ABSTRACT

Attitudes towards elder abuse were explored through a survey on International Perspectives on Family Violence and Abuse in a Turkish convenience sample of 25 females and 14 males, ranging in age from 22 to 58. Participants gave examples of behaviors considered in their culture to be extremely abusive, moderately abusive, and mildly abusive from an adult child toward his or her older parent. Responses were coded into four major categories of abuse, each of which had several subcategories: psychological aggression (including the subcategories of verbal aggression, emotional abuse, disrespect, disobedience, power assertion, blame, and imprisonment), neglect (including physical neglect, psychological neglect, abandonment, and putting the older individual into a nursing home), physical aggression (including beating and hitting), and mistreatment related to goods and services (including economic demands, economic withholding, and labor). The most common examples of extreme abuse were neglect, particulary physical neglect, followed by physical abuse. At the moderate and mild levels, various forms of psychological aggression were most commonly mentioned. The only significant gender difference was that men listed more instances of verbal aggression as examples of extreme abuse than women. A positive correlation was found between age and the number of abandonment examples at the extreme level. Results were interpreted from a cultural perspective.     

Community-Based System,Reports, and Substantiated Cases of Elder Abuse: Disparities Between Municipalities and Relating Factors in Japan

This study examines (1) the staffing and financial characteristics of systems for elder abuse detection and intervention in the municipal governments of Japan and (2) the relationship among the development of detection and intervention systems, the reporting rates of suspected elder abuse cases, and substantiated abuse rates in 927 municipalities across Japan. Progressive systems for the detection and intervention of elder abuse were significantly associated with a larger number of public officers than in non-progressive systems. Furthermore, greater rates of both suspected and substantiated cases of abuse were associated with progressive systems for elder abuse detection and intervention. Per capita annual expenditures on the comprehensive support project and the community general support center's catchment under the Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI) program showed no significant association with the development of systems, the rate of suspected cases, or the number of substantiated cases. National social policy makers should examine strategies that would help municipalities assign sufficient staff to elder abuse detection and intervention programs.     

Development and validation of a tool to improve physician identification of elder abuse: the Elder Abuse Suspicion Index (EASI)

This study aimed to develop and validate a brief tool for physician use to improve suspicion about the presence or absence of elder abuse. A literature review on elder abuse, obstacles to its identification, limitations of detection tools, and characteristics of screeners employed by physicians were used to generate elder abuse detection questions for critique by 31 doctors, nurses, and social workers in focus groups. Six resulting questions became the Elder Abuse Suspicion Index (EASI) administered by 104 family doctors to 953 cognitively intact seniors in ambulatory-care settings. Findings were compared to a recognized, detailed elder abuse Social Work Evaluation (SWE) later administered to participants by social workers blinded to the results of the EASI. The EASI had an estimated sensitivity and specificity of 0.47 and 0.75, usually took less than 2 minutes to ask, and 97.2% of doctors felt it would have some or big practice impact. This research is a first phase in the development and validation of a user-friendly tool that might sensitize physicians to elder abuse and promote referrals of possible victims for in-depth assessment by specialized professionals.     

Child Sexual Abuse and Psychological Impairment in Victims: Results of an Online Study Initiated by Victims

Sexual abuse of children has been a topic of scientific investigation for the past few decades. Research in this area, however, is rarely initiated, conceptualized, and conducted by victims themselves. Apart from possibly having painted a one-sided picture of sexual abuse, this presumed dominance of nonvictims might also have marginalized victims in a research area central to their lives. This study was conducted by a victims interest group as an effort to meet the need to add victims' perspectives to our current understanding of this topic. The online survey focused on investigating victims' psychosocial impairment, which was found to be extensive. Results indicated that an intact social support system facilitates better health, especially when offered early on.