Treated initially as a social problem, elder abuse has only recently been criminalized. The criminalization of elder abuse involves penalizing offenders for actively abusing offenders as well as for violating mandatory reporting laws. Mandatory reporting laws exist to encourage professionals to report suspected cases of elder abuse. In this study,…

In Italy, data and information on prevalence and characteristics of elder abuse are very limited, and a specific legal and policy framework is lacking. Some articles of the Penal Code refer to the larger context of violence against disadvantaged groups, and some general support services not specifically dedicated to this issue are managed by local…

In this article, we review the literature on physical and sexual elder abuse within the context of risk theory and feminist sociology. Employing data from the 1999 General Social Survey, we also examine several variables potentially associated with the risk for physical or sexual abuse of elders. Women, Aboriginal Canadians, and elders who are…

A 1999 survey of 408 nursing programs followed up on a 1995 survey (n=298). Most current respondents included content on abuse of women, children, and the elderly; 63% reported no faculty development on violence issues; 67% had not evaluated violence-related curriculum since 1995; only 39% felt that the curriculum adequately addressed violence,…

A comparison group study of abusing and nonabusing caregivers suggested a correlation between alcohol use and violence against elderly parents. Findings reveal that abusers were more likely than nonabusers to drink, to become intoxicated, and to be identified as having a drinking problem. Policy and practice implications are discussed. (Author)

Elder abuse is recognized as an under-detected and under-reported social problem. Difficulties in detecting elder abuse are compounded by the lack of a standardized, psychometrically valid instrument for case finding. The development of the Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test (H-S/EAST) followed a larger effort to identify indicators and…

Purpose: This study examined the extent to which older adults identified in a statewide abuse hotline registry utilized behavioral health services. This is important as mental health issues have been identified as a high priority for filling gaps in services for victims of mistreatment. Design and Methods: We compared Medicaid and Medicare claims…

Plenary session papers from a workshop focusing on how the health professions might provide better care for victims of violence and prevent violence itself comprise this document. Papers include: (1) "Welcome and 'Charge' to the Participants" (C. Everett Koop); (2) "Interpersonal Violence and Public Health Care: New Directions, New…

The purpose of this document is to perform a comprehensive examination of the controversies and contradictions surrounding the issue of crime and the elderly, based on analysis of National Crime Survey data for 1973-1980. Chapter 1 introduces the study of crime and the elderly, describing the controversy that exists regarding the elderly and their…