Presents an insightful, interdisciplinary approach for preventing elder abuse Encompassing the contributions of leading scholars in public health and gerontology, this is a rich repository of key ideas, concepts and issues regarding elder abuse and the role of public health initiatives in its prevention. The text frames elder abuse as a public health problem, stressing that efforts toward prevention is well within the scope of work performed by public health professionals. It describes major public policy/public health initiatives as they relate to elder abuse, analyzes elder abuse as a global and human rights issue, and supports the development of core competencies for public health work to prevent elder abuse. The text describes in detail major theoretical and applied issues within elder abuse and grounds these issues within the core functions and essential services of public health. It then addresses skill development using the core competencies for public health professionals. The book is the first to tie the core functions and essential public health services to core public health competency domains and creates a topic-specific framework for effective public health practice. An annotated section includes the most up-to-date resources for both public health and elder abuse, including toolkits, stakeholder lists, and references. A discussion of future directions for the field sets the agenda for a committed interdisciplinary approach to ameliorating and preventing elder abuse. Key Features: Grounds elder abuse prevention within the core functions and essential services of public health Provides a storehouse of scientific and practical information on elder abuse Stresses skill development using core competencies for public health professionals Encompasses the contributions of outstanding leaders in public health and gerontology Includes news stories, illustrative case examples, resources, blogs, and webinars

Product Description: Addresses key issues facing older people and our entire society. Topics include care pathway model, guidelines for health care professionals, understanding elder abuse in minority populations, moral and ethical implications of elder abuse, sexual violence against elderly women, helping victims, and more. For public health personnel.

Elder Abuse and Its Prevention is the summary of a workshop convened in April 2013 by the Institute of Medicine's Forum on Global Violence Prevention. Using an ecological framework, this workshop explored the burden of elder abuse around the world, focusing on its impacts on individuals, families, communities, and societies. Additionally, the workshop addressed occurrences and co-occurrences of different types of abuse, including physical, sexual, emotional, and financial, as well as neglect. The ultimate objective was to illuminate promising global and multisectoral evidence-based approaches to the prevention of elder maltreatment. While the workshop covered scope and prevalence and unique characteristics of abuse, the intention was to move beyond what is known about elder abuse to foster discussions about how to improve prevention, intervention, and mitigation of the victims' needs, particularly through collaborative efforts. The workshop discussions included innovative intervention models and opportunities for prevention across sectors and settings. Violence and related forms of abuse against elders is a global public health and human rights problem with far-reaching consequences, resulting in increased death, disability, and exploitation with collateral effects on well-being. Data suggest that at least 10 percent of elders in the United States are victims of elder maltreatment every year. In low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of violence is the greatest, the figure is likely even higher. In addition, elders experiencing risk factors such as diminishing cognitive function, caregiver dependence, and social isolation are more vulnerable to maltreatment and underreporting. As the world population of adults aged 65 and older continues to grow, the implications of elder maltreatment for health care, social welfare, justice, and financial systems are great. However, despite the magnitude of global elder maltreatment, it has been an underappreciated public health problem. Elder Abuse and Its Prevention discusses the prevalence and characteristics of elder abuse around the world, risk factors for abuse and potential adverse health outcomes, and contextually specific factors, such as culture and the role of the community.

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 abusersâ€"and sometimes the abused themselvesâ€"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.

This first-of-its-kind work on elder abuse and mistreatment provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the subject. Covering almost all regions of the world, it highlights different dimensions of elder abuse and mistreatment in terms of their prevalence, incidence, prevention, treatment, management and response from governments and civil society, academic and research communities, and society in general. Written by international specialists from various disciplinary and presenting the latest findings and data, the handbook includes sections on the Americas; the Caribbean; Europe; Central, West and South Asia; East Asia and Asia-Pacific; and Africa. The chapters offer clarity on the concept and forms of elder abuse and neglect, discuss research methodology, and provide policy options, legislative solutions and programmatic responses to give relief to older people as victims of abuse and neglect as well as to deal with the perpetrators. This book is intended for a wide range of students and researchers interested in aging, from sociology, to social work, community medicine, public health, clinical psychology, and human rights/law.

“The beauty of this important book lies in its conclusion... This book provides the roadmap that has led us to our current dilemmas and offers the path forward to a truly just society for all.” -Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN, President of The John A. Hartford Foundation Delivering the first comprehensive analysis of elder justice and its implications for policy and practice, this book offers a promising approach that ensures the rights, safety, and security of all older Americans. It explains the antecedents of elder justice in the fields of elder abuse, aging, and public health, and describes the opportunities for achieving more comprehensive, cohesive, and integrated public policy. The text examines the cumulative impact of ageism, racism, sexism, heterosexism, class, and other forms of disadvantage and isolation on the lives of older adults and how these contribute to poverty, disease, disability, abuse, and neglect. It draws from the fields of public health and health equity, and plans devised by international organizations that frame elder abuse as a human rights issue. Practical and achievable goals in the prevention of elder abuse aid policy makers, program developers, grant-makers, and service providers in the fields of gerontology, social work, public health, and nursing in their efforts towards elder abuse prevention. Key Features: Identifies institutionalized ageism in public policy and practice Proposes core principles of elder justice to guide policy and service development Introduces knowledge and techniques from the fields of elder abuse and public health Provides greater understanding of social determinants and how they are addressed in the public health arena Offers techniques for improving access to the legal system for people with physical, cognitive, and communication disabilities Offers practical and achievable goals; objectives and recommendations; and models for state, national, and international policy and programs.

This book provides an insight into advances in elder abuse in the areas of research, policy, practice and legislation. It provides readers with a broad understanding of the topic and considers the progress in elder abuse knowledge. The book explores the nexus of ageism and elder abuse, describes key social policies and their legislative manifestation, covers major policies and programs related to elder abuse, defines elder sexual abuse and much more. It offers the reader a comprehensive insight into new perspectives and approaches to both understanding and responding to elder abuse. As such it will be an asset to academics, students, healthcare practitioners, policy makers and the general public.