Elder abuse and neglect.

Abstract

The problem of elder abuse comes to a geropsychologist's attention in a variety of ways. It may be that during a therapy session an older adult reveals he or she has been victimized, although he or she may not even recognize it as such. Or, a perpetrator of abuse may reveal he or she has been an abuser, again without recognizing it as such. Geropsychologists may be asked to examine an elder to determine their cognitive capacity to have made a decision in the past, such as entering into a marriage or signing a document. Or, a geropsychologist may be asked to determine an elder's capacity to decide to stay at home in an abusive situation rather than go to a nursing home. A geropsychologist's clinical expertise may be requested to interpret capacity determinations for judges and juries. These psychologists may even be asked to testify in a trial of elder abuse in a civil or criminal context. OVERVIEWThe term elder abuse is, in itself, controversial; some researchers prefer the term elder mistreatment. For clinical purposes, the term elder abuse is sufficient. The authors of this chapter use elder abuse to mean an intentional action or inaction that results in significant physical or emotional harm to a person who is vulnerable because of age-related factors.Sadly, older adults experience many forms of abuse. Exhibit 26.1 provides a brief description of these types of abuse, including physical, sexual, emotional, financial, and neglect. any document (e.g., contracts or will); and the improper use of conservatorship, guardianship, or

The complexities of elder abuse.

“…Psychologists and others working in clinical practice often struggle with identifying whether an older client has experienced abuse and when to report suspected abuse (Mosqueda & Olsen, 2015). To date, there is no single gold-standard test to ascertain abuse, with numerous tools employed by both researchers and clinicians.…”

“…Moreover, the reliability and validity of most of the measures identified has yet to be established (Cooper, Selwood, & Livingston, 2008). Taking a more informal approach, Mosqueda and Olsen (2015) suggested that psychologists and other health care providers ask their older clients whom they suspect may be involved in an abusive situation a series of questions (e.g., “Are you afraid of anyone?” or “Is anyone mistreating you?”) . The client’s response will help clinicians determine the need to report suspected abuse or to pursue another course of therapeutic action (Zeranski & Halgin, 2011).…”

“…Once a report of suspected abuse is made, psychologists are not responsible for identifying ways in which to remedy the situation, but they do have continued responsibility to their client regardless if the client is the victim, perpetrator, or other party involved in the situation (Mosqueda & Olsen, 2015). Psychologists must strive to preserve the therapeutic relationship while taking action to protect the vulnerable older adult (Zeranski & Halgin, 2011).…”

“…Psychologists must strive to preserve the therapeutic relationship while taking action to protect the vulnerable older adult (Zeranski & Halgin, 2011). Although reporting suspected abuse is a legally mandated breach of confidentiality, determining if anyone else (e.g., client, family member) should be informed requires careful consideration (Mosqueda & Olsen, 2015).…”