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What
role do professionals in the field of aging play in elder
abuse prevention?
Professionals
who work in programs for the elderly are likely to be the
first to discover abuse. As such, they can provide a vital
link to protective services, including APS and law enforcement.
They can also offer support and encouragement to their clients
as they take action to end their victimization. Specifically
they can:
- Report
abuse to APS, ombudsmen, law enforcement, or other agencies
charged with abuse investigations
- Convey
the message that nobody deserves to be abused and encourage
clients to accept help
- Provide
advice and consultation to APS, law enforcement, and others
in how to work with specific clients and the elderly in
general
- Provide
information that can help in proving abuse, (e.g. patterns
they have observed or interactions between clients and
caregivers) to as great an extent possible while respecting
clients' confidentiality and right to privacy
- Apprise
APS and law enforcement of clients' special needs for
special assistance including assistive devices, support
services, etc.
- Provide
emotional support to victims
- Monitor
high risk situations
- Provide
or refer clients to services that reduce risk and vulnerability
How
can professionals in the field of aging get involved?
- Learn
more about the extent of the problem, its causes, and
promising interventions and services
- Stay
apprised of state reporting requirements and procedures
for reporting abuse
- Participate
in cross-disciplinary training events and forums
- Encourage
their agencies to participate in community initiatives
to raise awareness, advocate for new and improved policy
and services, and improve interagency communication and
coordination
What
resources are available?
A
variety of resources are available for learning more about
elder abuse, the role of various disciplines, and intervention
strategies. The Resources
section of this website includes a bibliography on elder
abuse and neglect, training resources, and a list of national
organizations.
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