Learn to detect elder abuseand provide the help that your neglected or abused elderly clients need! Even to clinicians experienced in managing difficult client situations, elder abuse is perplexing, complex, and ethically charged. This kind of abuse can be hard to detect, with its subtle manifestations and indicators that could just as easily reflect other problems or illnesses. It can seem impossible to control, particularly when the victim refuses help or denies the seriousness of mistreatment. Moreover, decision-making when dealing with interventions for elder abuse is rarely easy and is frequently clouded by ethical dilemmas. The Clinical Management of Elder Abuse can help. This essential guide for present and future clinicians provides you with multidisciplinary perspectives on detecting elder abuse situations and interventions that can make a real difference in the lives of clients. Three case studies are presented and then examined from the professional perspectives of an attorney, a physician, a nurse, and a social worker. What these professionals have to say will leave you better informed about the dynamics and complexities of elder abuse, about important steps that must be taken in the clinical management of elder abuse, and about the importance and application of multidisciplinary teams in elder abuse work. The handy figures, lists of definitions, and tables you’ll find in this well-referenced book make important concepts and complex information easy to access and understand. The Clinical Management of Elder Abuse shows how professionals in the above disciplines can address the effects of elder abuse, which may manifest as: physical effects, including pain and injury, sleep disturbances, eating problems, and headaches behavioral effects, including anger, helplessness, reduced coping abilities, and suicidal actions psychological effects, which can be wide-ranging and include denial, fear, anxiety, and depression social effects, such as increased dependence, withdrawal, and lessened contact with the outside world As the baby boom generation ages, incidents of elder abuse are certain to continue to increase. Whether you are a student, an educator, an experienced clinician, or a novice in the field, The Clinical Management of Elder Abuse is a resource that you’ll return to again and again as you work to improve the lives of this important, growing population.

-- Social Work

Social isolation and loneliness are serious yet underappreciated public health risks that affect a significant portion of the older adult population. Approximately one-quarter of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, and a significant proportion of adults in the United States report feeling lonely. People who are 50 years of age or older are more likely to experience many of the risk factors that can cause or exacerbate social isolation or loneliness, such as living alone, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and sensory impairments. Over a life course, social isolation and loneliness may be episodic or chronic, depending upon an individual's circumstances and perceptions. A substantial body of evidence demonstrates that social isolation presents a major risk for premature mortality, comparable to other risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, or obesity. As older adults are particularly high-volume and high-frequency users of the health care system, there is an opportunity for health care professionals to identify, prevent, and mitigate the adverse health impacts of social isolation and loneliness in older adults. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults summarizes the evidence base and explores how social isolation and loneliness affect health and quality of life in adults aged 50 and older, particularly among low income, underserved, and vulnerable populations. This report makes recommendations specifically for clinical settings of health care to identify those who suffer the resultant negative health impacts of social isolation and loneliness and target interventions to improve their social conditions. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults considers clinical tools and methodologies, better education and training for the health care workforce, and dissemination and implementation that will be important for translating research into practice, especially as the evidence base for effective interventions continues to flourish.