Elder Abuse
By Georgia J. Anetzberger

Elder abuse represents the infliction of harm or threat of harm upon an older adult by a caregiver or trusted other, or the failure of a caregiver to protect an older adult or satisfy her or his basic needs (National Research Council, 2003). The National Center on Elder Abuse (2009) recognizes six forms: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, neglect, abandonment, and financial or material exploitation. It also acknowledges self-neglect, but distinguishes this from types of elder abuse where there is a perpetrator. Elder abuse is believed to affect 1-10% of older Americans. Although mandatory elder abuse reporting laws exist in nearly all states, it is estimated that as few as 1 in 14 situations are reported to authorities (Lachs & Pillemer, 2004). Almost two-thirds of elder abuse reports involve family members as perpetrators (usually adult children or spouses), and over half represent self-neglect and neglect as forms (Teaster, Dugar, Mendiondo, & Otto, 2005).

Social workers have led efforts to understand and address elder abuse for over 50 years. They spearheaded the development of “protective care,” as adult protective services (APS) were first called, during the 1950s and early 1960s. They conducted the first research on elder abuse during the late 1970s, noting the complexity and intervention difficulties associated with this problem. Today the majority of APS workers are social workers, and APS remains the only nationwide program dedicated to elder abuse intervention.

Social workers are ideally situated to identify and report elder abuse. They are among the professional disciplines most likely to be named as mandatory reporters in state laws. They also are in the top tier of actual reporters (Teaster, et al., 2005). As geriatric case managers and service providers, social workers frequently are in the homes of older adult clients and able to observe conditions that reflect or contribute to elder abuse. As members of interdisciplinary clinical teams in hospitals or residential care facilities, they generally coordinate activities for reporting suspected elder abuse situations to authorities.

Likewise, social workers play important roles in multiple systems involved in elder abuse prevention and treatment. Within the Older Americans Act Aging Network, they help heighten public awareness and provide professional education on the problem. They also offer supportive services that reduce the vulnerability of older adults to elder abuse. Within the justice system, social workers often provide victim assistance or guardianship services. Within health care, they may offer counseling or conduct support groups to deal with the psychosocial effects of elder abuse.

Consequently, it is essential that social work education incorporate curriculum content to help students understand elder abuse and its possible manifestations. This includes information on signs and risk factors along with available screening tools to promote detection. The varied roles that practitioners play mean that social work education must prepare students for navigating the multiple service systems available to address elder abuse, the potential contributions of social work in each system, and effective methods for promoting communication and coordination among distinct disciplines (Anetzberger, 2005).

Georgia J. Anetzberger is assistant professor of health care administration at Cleveland State University, editor of the Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, and vice president of the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse. She holds a doctorate from Case Western Reserve University and has spent over thirty years addressing elder abuse as a practitioner, administrator, researcher, and educator.

References

Anetzberger, G.J. (Ed.). (2005). The Clinical Management of Elder Abuse. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press.

National Center on Elder Abuse. (2009). Major types of elder abuse. Retrieved May 11, 2009 from http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/ncearoot/Main_Site/FAQ/Basics/Types_Of_Abuse.aspx

National Research Council. (2003). Elder Mistreatment: Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation in an Aging America. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

Lachs, M. S., & Pillemer, K. (2004). Elder abuse. The Lancet, 364, 1192-1263.

Teaster, P.B., Dugar, T.A., Mendiondo, M.S., & Otto, J.M. (2005). The 2004 Survey of State Adult Protective Services: Abuse of Adults 60 Years of Age and Older. Washington, DC: National Center on Elder Abuse.