Action on Elder Abuse: A New South Wales Pilot Project on the Role of Legal and Health Practitioners in Elder Abuse Screening, Response and Prevention

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nola M Ries ◽  
Elise Mansfield
Keyword(s):  
Elder Abuse ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Inadequate Response ◽  
Older Parents ◽  
Response Options ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Financial Exploitation ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Screening Questions ◽  
Role Boundaries

This article reports on a pilot project that involved legal and health practitioners (n=17) in an intervention that aimed to improve detection of and response to elder abuse. Interviews and focus groups elicited practitioners’ experiences and their views on the use of structured screening processes to identify abuse or risk situations. Participants reported they mostly encounter financial exploitation and psychological abuse, perpetrated by adult children against older parents. No practitioners reported the use of an elder-abuse-specific screening tool, but perceived the benefits of screening to enable earlier identification of problems. Barriers to screening included practitioners’ concerns about communication strategies, professional role boundaries, and inadequate response options. Participants supported a ‘triage’ approach, with screening questions and responses scaled to the immediacy and severity of the problem. Respect for the autonomy of older people was emphasised, along with professionals’ role in providing advice and resources to empower their older clients.

Utilization of a forensic accountant to investigate financial exploitation of older adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-152
Author(s):  
Jason Dauenhauer ◽  
Kristin Heffernan ◽  
Karen Webber ◽  
Kari Smoker ◽  
Paul Caccamise ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
Multidisciplinary Teams ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Response Options ◽  
Financial Exploitation ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Criminal Charges ◽  
Sheer Number

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the results of an online program evaluation survey conducted in the USA in 2018 which was designed to understand how members of an enhanced multidisciplinary team (E-MDT) use the expertise of a forensic accountant (FA) in suspected cases of elder financial exploitation. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyzes responses to an online survey from 54 E-MDT members. Narrative responses to open-ended questions were analyzed by using cross-case thematic analysis. Data from demographic questions and those with nominal response options were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings Overwhelmingly, the E-MDT members described how useful the FA’s expertise and subsequent detailed reports are in helping determine whether financial exploitation is taking place and providing information needed to continue an investigation and pursue criminal charges. Practical implications The increasing longevity and sheer number of older adults present ongoing challenges in the fight to address financial exploitation. Findings suggest that FAs working with E-MDTs can help identify signs, collect evidence and help investigate cases of suspected financial abuse of older adults. The development of training programs focused on educating accountants to fill a need in a growing area of forensic accounting may be needed. Originality/value This paper adds to the growing evidence of multidisciplinary teams as an effective model for investigating cases of financial elder exploitation by focusing specifically on the expertise of an FA.

Prevalence of Psychoses on Reception to Male Prisons in New South Wales

2005 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 453-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olav Nielssen ◽  
Shavtay Misrachi
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Assessment ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Composite International Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Psychotic Illness ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Screening Questions ◽  
Available Information

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of psychotic illnesses among men received to prisons in New South Wales. The study also sought to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of the psychosis screener in the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI-Auto). Method: The study was part of a larger study on psychiatric disorder in men received to New South Wales prisons. Using a structured questionnaire, the CIDI-Auto (modified), which included screening questions for psychotic illness, the prisoners who gave positive responses to the screening questions for psychosis as well as any subjects considered by the experienced clinicians performing the CIDI-Auto interviews to show features of a psychotic illness, were referred to the researchers for a clinical assessment. The clinical assessment included a review of all available information. Results: Of the prisoners, 5.1% were thought to have definite psychotic illness and 1.9% to have possible psychotic illness. The psychosis screener was found to be neither sensitive nor specific. Conclusions: The rate of psychotic illness among people remanded to New South Wales prisons is between 10 and 14 times the rate found in a similar study in the wider community. The poor performance of the psychosis screener suggests that screening for psychotic illness on reception to prisons should be performed by clinically trained staff.

scholarly journals Home Health Registered Nurses’ Experiences With Financial Exploitation of Older Women With Cognitive Impairment

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 701-701
Author(s):  
Carol Rogers ◽  
Lisa DeSpain ◽  
Janet Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Home Health Care ◽  
Elder Abuse ◽  
Home Health ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Financial Exploitation ◽  
Data Saturation

Abstract Older adults diagnosed with cognitive impairment (CI) who live at home are at high risk for FE due to dependence on caregivers and diminishing cognitive and financial capacities. Health care providers are mandated reporters for elder abuse, that includes financial exploitation (FE), one of the seven types of older adult maltreatments. Twenty Home Health Care Nurses (HHRN) of older adults in Oklahoma were interviewed to discover their understanding and experiences with FE. Transcripts were analyzed by conventional content analysis. Line-by-line codes were generated inductively and codes were grouped into categories and themes until data saturation was reached. Five themes emerged: Red Flags, Familiar Offenders, Dire Consequences, Barriers/Facilitators, Doing Better. Conclusions: HHRNs are an untapped resource to provide suggestions for improvements of FE detection/reporting of older adults with CI and to help formulate policies, procedures, strategies to improve coordination and communication among healthcare, law enforcement, and social service systems.

scholarly journals 189Mobilizing for change through UM PEACE (Prevent Elder Abuse and negleCt initiativE) Program

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noran Naqiah Hairi
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Elder Abuse ◽  
Premature Mortality ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Elder Abuse And Neglect ◽  
Financial Exploitation ◽  
Legal Perspective ◽  
Abuse And Neglect ◽  
Initiative Program

Abstract Focus of Presentation Elder abuse and neglect (EAN) includes psychological, physical, sexual abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. Malaysia – projected to become an aged nation by 2030 – is not spared. PEACE focuses on protecting elder rights, empowering the community to be actively engaged in elderly issues, and refining the Malaysian law to address existing gaps. Findings Our cohort study revealed that the overall lifetime prevalence of EAN (abuse episodes ever experienced from the age 60) was 8.1% with 4.8%, 3.4%, 1.2%, 0.3% and 1.1% for financial abuse, psychological abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect respectively. Perpetrators tend to be family members (adult children) and abuse usually occurs at home. Premature mortality are shown higher among victims. From the legal perspective, the only existing act addressing family violence is the Domestic Violence Act (DVA 1994) and Penal Code. The DVA is neither adequate nor specific to EAN and dynamics of elder abuse. Our findings were presented to the relevant stakeholders including the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. Using four main approaches - making findings understandable to policymakers, increasing opportunities for interaction, addressing barriers and ensuring research is relevant allows better communication between researchers and policy makers and ensuring evidence are translated to policy. PEACE are working on drafting the new Elder Act which will be ready by 2021. Conclusions/Implications The PEACE program is an example of how a complex health problem should be addressed. Better communication strategies and multiple interactions between policy makers and PEACE researchers is key to our impactful research. Key messages Dissemination approaches should be timely and consistent with culture to translate research evidence to policy. Protecting the well-being and dignity of our elders is not only a question of conscience or morality, but also a matter of upholding human rights and justice.

Working with the Elderly Defendant through the Adjudicative Process

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry W. Wall
Keyword(s):  
Elder Abuse ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Criminal Court ◽  
Elderly Persons ◽  
Competence To Stand Trial ◽  
Physical Competence ◽  
Mental Competence ◽  
Financial Exploitation ◽  
Elderly Offenders ◽  
The Impact

As the U.S. population ages, there will be more cases of elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation and, consequently, an increase in elderly criminal defendants in the criminal justice system. Because elderly persons appear in criminal court most frequently as crime victims, understanding the problems and needs of the elderly defendant receives less attention. This chapter reviews the cognitive and psychological changes with normal aging, the heterogeneous nature of elderly defendants, and assumptions that law enforcement and court personnel may make when interacting with the elderly population. The chapter reviews the adjudicative process from the perspective of the elderly defendant, focusing on detention, mental competence to stand trial, physical competence to stand trial, discovery and trial. Controversies in adjudicating and sentencing elderly defendants are discussed, as well as the impact of the sharp rise in elderly offenders in prison. Accommodations for elderly defendants during the process of adjudication and the need for expert medical and mental health involvement are reviewed.

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