Table of Contents

About This Course

1. Introduction to Elder Abuse
2. The Basics of Elder Abuse
3. Substance Use and Other Risk Factors
4. Screening and Assessment
5. Intervention and Treatment
6. Preventing Elder Abuse

Supplements
Case Studies
References
Resources

Out of the Shadows
Uncovering Substance Use and Elder Abuse

Community-Wide Prevention

The severity of elder abuse cannot be overstated. However, experts caution against focusing exclusively on legal remedies against perpetrators. Prevention models that emphasize empowering victims and focusing on safety and risk reduction are just as important.

In addition to the community-wide response, professionals, family members, adult children, older adults, and others must assume a proactive role in preventing elder abuse individually. Many steps can help older adults avoid potentially abusive situations. Some involve reducing the risk of abuse and enhancing protective factors -- those assets within an individual that increase their resiliency. Some involve becoming more educated about the problem and the responsibility for intervening to stop or prevent it.

Prevention activities may include:

• Professional Training -- designing workshops, conferences, training manuals, videos, and other materials for Adult Protective Services personnel, social workers, and other professionals
• Coordination Among Social Service Systems and Providers -- creating elder abuse hotlines, forming coalitions and task forces, and participating in other multisector and multidisciplinary activities
• Technical Assistance -- developing policy manuals and protocols to outline procedures for prevention screening, reporting, intervention, and treatment of elder abuse
• Public Education -- developing elder abuse prevention education campaigns for the public, including public service announcements, posters, flyers, and videosref