Purpose: We sought to determine the prevalence of remediable health conditions from in-home geriatric assessments of referred adult protective service (APS) clients suffering elder mistreatment. Design and Methods: We used a retrospective cohort study of 211 APS clients (74% female; age, M = 77 years) in two central New Jersey counties. Results:…

Discusses how Dallas, Texas, Area Agency on Aging met requirement of 1987 amendments to Older Americans Act of 1965 that State Offices on Aging identify agencies involved in identifying and treating abused, neglected, and exploited elders and determine their need for services. Describes impact of Elder Abuse Task Force on state law, adult…

Purpose: The purpose of this work is to describe the development and operation of a new model for integration of medical and social services. The Vulnerable Adult Specialist Team (VAST) provides Adult Protective Services (APS) and criminal justice agencies with access to medical experts who examine medical and psychological injuries of victims of…

Conducted interviews with 2,020 community-dwelling elderly persons in Boston regarding their experience of physical violence, verbal aggression, and neglect. Prevalence rate of overall maltreatment was 32 elderly persons per 1,000. Spouses were found to be most likely abusers, and similar numbers of men and women were victims, although women…

Compares 16 state elder abuse reporting statutes and analyzes their implementation. Generally, the statutes have failed to ensure consistent information about elder abuse within or across states. Neglect is more often reported than abuse and little prosecutory activity was noted. Suggestions for improving reporting policies are made. (JAC)

Reports on the validity of the Indicators of Abuse (IOA) Screen, used by social-services-agency practitioners as an abuse screening tool. An abuse-indicator model evolving from the IOA suggests three main types of abuse signals: caregivers' personal problems/issues, caregivers interpersonal problems, and care receivers' social-support shortages…

Examined demographic profiles of older wards and their guardians and adjudication process, as experienced by older persons placed in legal guardianship. Found that family members' petitions for guardianship were seldom challenged by older person and goal of most guardianship cases was to preserve older individual's estate. Suggests that state…

Describes a two-year collaborative project that improved the reporting and management of potential and suspected elder abuse situations involving persons with dementia. The educational curriculum and cross training program as well as the handbook for caregivers are discussed. Project organization, implementation, and evaluation are also discussed…

Purpose: The first Elder Abuse Forensic Center (EAFC) in the United States was instituted in 2003. People from a variety of disciplines, including Adult Protective Services social workers, law enforcement, the district attorney's office, a medical response team, public guardian deputies, ombudsmen, mental health services, a victim advocate, and a…

Purpose: This study assessed the extent of different types of abuse, repeated and multiple abuse experiences among women aged 60 and older, and their effects on the women's self-reported health. Design and Methods: A cross-sectional study of a clinical sample of 842 community-dwelling women aged 60 and older completed a telephone survey about type…

Examines the reliability and validity of the Vulnerability to Abuse Screening Scale (VASS) for the early identification of elder abuse. Results confirmed the VASS factor structure and construct validity. The Vulnerability and Coercion factors held the strongest face and construct validity for physical and psychological abuse. (Contains 52…

Assessed the relationship between the presence of Oregon volunteer long-term care ombudsmen and externally handled abuse complaints, survey reports, and regulatory sanctions. Found presence of ombudsmen was related to increased abuse reporting and abuse complaint substantiation, more survey deficiencies, and higher sanction activity. (JBJ)

Used 13 scenarios to measure and compare perceptions of elder abuse and help-seeking behaviors of African-American, Caucasian American, and Korean-American elderly women. Significant group differences existed in perceptions of elder abuse with regard to six scenarios, and Korean-American women were substantially less likely to perceive given…

Purpose: Neglect of older adults accounts for 60% to 70% of all elder-mistreatment reports made to adult protective services. The purpose of this article is to report data from research, using a risk-and-vulnerability model, that captures the independent contributions of both the elder and the caregiver as they relate to the outcome of neglect.…

Evaluated physicians' responses to Alabama state elder abuse reporting statutes in Alabama Protective Services Act of 1976. Survey responses from over 100 Alabama physicians suggest that they have reservations about their ability to diagnose abuse, operation of the law, and their willingness to report abuse. (Author/NB)