Elder Abuse and Its Prevention

Elder Abuse and Its Prevention
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 228
Release: 2014-03-18
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0309293545

Elder Abuse and Its Prevention is the summary of a workshop convened in April 2013 by the Institute of Medicine's Forum on Global Violence Prevention. Using an ecological framework, this workshop explored the burden of elder abuse around the world, focusing on its impacts on individuals, families, communities, and societies. Additionally, the workshop addressed occurrences and co-occurrences of different types of abuse, including physical, sexual, emotional, and financial, as well as neglect. The ultimate objective was to illuminate promising global and multisectoral evidence-based approaches to the prevention of elder maltreatment. While the workshop covered scope and prevalence and unique characteristics of abuse, the intention was to move beyond what is known about elder abuse to foster discussions about how to improve prevention, intervention, and mitigation of the victims' needs, particularly through collaborative efforts. The workshop discussions included innovative intervention models and opportunities for prevention across sectors and settings. Violence and related forms of abuse against elders is a global public health and human rights problem with far-reaching consequences, resulting in increased death, disability, and exploitation with collateral effects on well-being. Data suggest that at least 10 percent of elders in the United States are victims of elder maltreatment every year. In low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of violence is the greatest, the figure is likely even higher. In addition, elders experiencing risk factors such as diminishing cognitive function, caregiver dependence, and social isolation are more vulnerable to maltreatment and underreporting. As the world population of adults aged 65 and older continues to grow, the implications of elder maltreatment for health care, social welfare, justice, and financial systems are great. However, despite the magnitude of global elder maltreatment, it has been an underappreciated public health problem. Elder Abuse and Its Prevention discusses the prevalence and characteristics of elder abuse around the world, risk factors for abuse and potential adverse health outcomes, and contextually specific factors, such as culture and the role of the community.

Elder Mistreatment

Elder Mistreatment
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 569
Release: 2003-02-06
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0309084342

Since the late 1970s when Congressman Claude Pepper held widely publicized hearings on the mistreatment of the elderly, policy makers and practitioners have sought ways to protect older Americans from physical, psychological, and financial abuse. Yet, during the last 20 years fewer than 50 articles have addressed the shameful problem that abusersâ€"and sometimes the abused themselvesâ€"want to conceal. Elder Mistreatment in an Aging America takes a giant step toward broadening our understanding of the mistreatment of the elderly and recommends specific research and funding strategies that can be used to deepen it. The book includes a discussion of the conceptual, methodological, and logistical issues needed to create a solid research base as well as the ethical concerns that must be considered when working with older subjects. It also looks at problems in determination of a report's reliability and the role of physicians, EMTs, and others who are among the first to recognize situations of mistreatment. Elder Mistreatment in an Aging America will be of interest to anyone concerned about the elderly and ways to intervene when abuse is suspected, including family members, caregivers, and advocates for the elderly. It will also be of interest to researchers, research sponsors, and policy makers who need to know how to advance our knowledge of this problem.

Helping Elderly Victims

Helping Elderly Victims
Author: Rosalie S. Wolf
Publisher:
Total Pages: 180
Release: 1989
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780231064842

Based on an evaluation of model projects on the subject commissioned by federal grant, this volume focuses on three major areas of inquiry: analyses of data from 328 cases of elder abuse and neglect, an assessment of the model projects' structure, and a case-control study involving 42 victims. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

The Lost Art of Healing

The Lost Art of Healing
Author: Bernard Lown
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Total Pages: 368
Release: 1999-02-02
Genre: Health & Fitness
ISBN: 0345425979

The real crisis in medicine today is not about economics, insurance, or managed care--it's about the loss of the fundamental human relationship between doctor and patient. In this wise and passionate book, one of our most eminent physicians reacquaints us with a classic notion often overlooked in modern medicine: health care with a human face, in which the time-honored art of healing guides doctors in their approach to patient care and their use of medical technology. Drawing on four decades of practice as a cardiologist and a vast knowledge of literature and medical history, Dr. Lown probes the heart and soul of the doctor-patient relationship. Insightful and accessible to all, The Lost Art of Healing describes how true healers use sympathetic listening and touch to hone their diagnostic skills, how language affects the perception of illness, how doctors and patients can cultivate a relationship of trust, and how patients can obtain the most complete and beneficial care through a combination of healing techniques and conventional practices. As Dr. Lown explains, the art of healing does not mean abandoning the spectacular advances of modern science, but rather incorporating them into a sensitive, humane, enlightened approach to medical care. With its urgent message and poignant, fascinating vignettes, The Lost Art of Healing is a book of vital, universal importance.

Understanding Elder Abuse

Understanding Elder Abuse
Author: Shelly L. Jackson
Publisher: Concise Guides on Trauma Care
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2018
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9781433827556

Helping mental health clinicians anticipate, recognize and respond to elder abuse, this book quickly summarizes risk and protective factors, the important role of cognition and capacity and clinicians' legal and ethical obligations to report suspected or known elder abuse.

Self-Neglect in Older Adults

Self-Neglect in Older Adults
Author: Mary Rose Day, DN, MA, PHN, RPHN, RM, RGN
Publisher: Springer Publishing Company
Total Pages: 399
Release: 2017-08-28
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0826140831

An unequalled compendium of cutting-edge information on self neglect This authoritative resource in provides nurses and healthcare professionals with a comprehensive overview and analysis of self-neglect in older adults. With an aging global population, self-neglect is emerging as a complex problem that crosses multiple disciplines of health and social care. Characterized by a harmful inattention to health and hygiene, self-neglect manifests in a variety of ways across the world that healthcare professionals need to be able to recognize and manage. The only text with the latest analysis of theoretical perspectives, research, and evidence from global leaders in the field, chapters tackle the interdisciplinary problem of self-neglect to deliver current professional practice tools and clinical practice interventions. Replete with case studies that examine the ethical, legal, and medical issues of self-neglect, the content is immediately applicable to researchers and clinicians. An extensive list of contributors from the U.S., Ireland, England, Scotland, Australia, Israel, Canada, and Korea include respected researchers, practitioners, and academics from multiple health and social care disciplines along with health and social care services who have played a critical role in advancing research, public awareness, and policy on self-neglect. Key Features: Delivers multi-faceted, cutting-edge information on self-neglect in older adults for nurses and related healthcare professionals Addresses theory, research, evidence, assessment and measurement, and clinical practice interventions Includes practical applications, case studies, and illustrations in each chapter Authored by an international panel of authoritative leaders in gerontology Provides debate and discussion on self-neglect that will promote further enquiry and research

Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults

Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 317
Release: 2020-05-14
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0309671035

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.