Elder Abuse: In Her Own Words

1. Elder Abuse: In Her Own Words Bonnie Brandl Janice Green Bonnie Hill Nanci Newton

2. Introductions • Name • Where you work • Your age • How you feel about being your age

3. Ricky Mountain News, 4/16/07

4. Relationship Between Elder Abuse and Domestic Violence Elder Abuse Domestic Violence Elder Domestic Violence Elder Domestic Violence

5. What is Elder Abuse? When an older adult experiences: • Physical abuse • Neglect • Sexual abuse and Stalking • Financial exploitation • Emotional abuse (Any of the above may co-occur with each other)

6. Who are Victims of Elder Abuse? • Persons aged over 60 or 65+ • Primarily females and some older males • All racial, ethnic, socio-economic, and religious backgrounds • Does not include vulnerable or at-risk adults age 18 - 59

7. Who Commits Elder Abuse? • Intimate partners (long-term, new, or late onset) -- Occurs in heterosexual/gay/lesbian relationships -- Includes dating relationships • Adult children and other family members • Caregivers • Others in positions of authority This definition excludes victimization by strangers.

8. Where Does Elder Abuse Occur? • Private residences within community • Facility settings (4.5 %)

9. How Are Older People Harmed? • Accidents • Well-intended caregivers • Contact with persons with physical or mental health conditions that manifest in aggressive behavior • Elder abuse

10. Why Does Elder Abuse Occur & Persist? • Greed • Goal is financial exploitation • Offender often committing other types of abuse • Power and control • As in domestic violence • Pattern of abusive and coercive behaviors and threats used to control victim • Actual and assumed power is used

12. Domestic Violence In Later Life Bonnie Hill

13. Comings and Goings • You are an older victim of abuse • Listen to scenes and choose if you want to remain at home or leave • Leaving costs green and/or yellow cards • Pay when the bell rings • If out of cards needed, must return home

14. Survivor’s Experience Velma

15. Stalking Facts: Later Life • Older adults are almost as likely to be stalked as younger individuals • Females age 55 or older are more likely than males to be stalked

16. Stalking Facts: Later Life • Often, stalker is someone who the older adult victim knows • Stalking in later life is often part of domestic violence (JEAN)

17. Survivor’s Experience Miss Mary

18. Working with Miss Mary Nanci Newton Director USF Advocacy Program University of South Florida

19. Responding to Older Victims • Consider how definitions exclude • Consider how services exclude • Who are collaborative partners • Who are volunteers, staff, board • How are older individuals involved • Consider role of ageism

20. Resources • National Center on Elder Abuse • NAPSA • National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life • State APS • Area Agency on Aging (AAA)

21. OVW Training Grants Program • History of program • Focus on elder abuse • 10 communities

22. OVW Training Grants Program • 2-day law enforcement training • Prosecutors’ training • Judges training • Systems change

23. OVW Training Grants Program • Direct services • Training/cross training for advocates, elder abuse workers, aging network etc. • CCRs on elder abuse COMING SOON

24. NCALL, a project of WCADV • www.ncall.us • bonnieb@wcadv.org • (608) 255-0539