Schedule

Continental Breakfast

Introduction

Keynote: Treatment or Mistreatment? Medication as an agent of elder abuse- Susan Kurrle, M.D. 

Overuse, underuse and misuse of medication are often not recognised as part of the spectrum of elder abuse. Withholding of medication for Parkinsons Disease leading to immobility, use of sleeping tablets during the day to achieve constant sedation, and use of coumadin to induce life threatening haemorrhage are some examples of this form of abuse.  This presentation describes the problem, using a number of cases to illustrate how and why it occurs, and suggests some guidelines for identification and management.

Research Briefs

1: Elder Abuse in Assisted Living - Linda R. Phillips, Ph.D., R.N.

2: Current Research in Elder Abuse and Neglect at UC Irvine Geriatrics - Aileen Wiglesworth, Ph.D.

Break

Breakout Sessions

Workshop A: Sexual Abuse of Vulnerable Older Adults- Maggie Baker, Ph.D., R.N. 

Sexual abuse of vulnerable older adults takes many forms and is of concern in both domestic and institutional settings. This presentation will include the nature and scope of the problem (including recent findings from research), identification of risk factors for sexual abuse, strategies for assessment, and recommendations for medicolegal interventions.

Workshop B: Effective Strategies for Self-Neglect - Frank Randolph, M.D.

This presentation will explore the dilemma of elders neglecting their own health and safety. Self-Neglect is a complex phenomenon characterized by inattention to health and hygiene, typically stemming from an inability or unwillingness to access potentially remediating services. Speaker will explore causes, such as dementia, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and alcoholism, and associated problems, including cognitive impairment, multiple medical problems, low vision, hearing impairment, social isolation, reduced medical literacy, and functional impairment. Participants will be introduced to a comprehensive management approach in a clinical setting.

Lunch

Educational Briefs

3: Increasing Dental Health Professionals' Awareness of Elder Abuse and Neglect - Melanie Gironda, Ph.D., M.S.W.

4: Enhancing the Capacity of a Diverse Faith Community to Address Elder Abuse – Betty Malks, MSW, CSW

5: Elder Abuse Alert: Curricula to Train Frontline Health Personnel to Detect and Report - Robin Roth, M.S. and Eileen Goldman, L.C.S.W.

6: Hoarding: The Multi-Disciplinary Community Response - Kim Hubbard, Esq.

Plenary: Medicolegal Investigation of Deaths in the Elderly  - Richard Harruff, M.D., Ph.D.

This presentation will focus on the medicolegal investigation of elder deaths, showing the administrative and scientific challenges of detecting, documenting and certifying deaths due to abuse and neglect.  A major objective is to provide a coherent and reasonable approach to death investigation in older populations.  After this presentation, the attendee will be able to explain why death certificates are often misleading and why it is essential to have close collaboration between medical examiners or coroners, health care providers, regulatory and law enforcement agencies and prosecutors.

Break

Breakout Sessions

Workshop C: A Multidisciplinary Response to Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse: The Elder Abuse Forensic Center - Diana Schneider, M.D. and Mike Gargiulo, Deputy District Attorney

Elder and dependent adult abuse cases are complex and often involve multiple forms of neglect and abuse, including financial, physical and sexual abuse. This session will present lessons learned from an innovative, best practices model to address cases of elder and dependent adult abuse.

Workshop D: Removing our Rose-Colored Glasses:  Understanding Domestic Abuse in Later Life - Bonnie Brandl, M.S.W.

Many abusers use a pattern of tactics and coercive control to abuse, neglect and exploit older victims.   Typically abusers justify their behavior (e.g., “I’m doing the best I can to provide care”) or blame the victim (e.g., “She does things on purpose to make me angry.”)  Too often well-meaning professionals are taken in by manipulative abusers and lose sight of the needs of the older victim.  This workshop will explore strategies professionals can use recognize abusive tactics and approaches that focus on victim safety, support and services.

Exhibition/Wine and Cheese Reception

Continental Breakfast

Plenary: Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Elder Mistreatment: Advances in Clinical Care - Carmel Bitondo Dyer, M.D.

Over the past several years, it has become increasingly evident that solutions to elder abuse must involve an interdisciplinary approach.  This is true at the levels of prevention, assessment, and intervention.  Successful models of interdisciplinary collaborative efforts will be discussed.

International Briefs

7: Elder Abuse: The View from Down Under- Susan Kurrle, M.D.

8: Elder Abuse: A Canadian Snapshot- Elizabeth Podnieks, R.N., Ed.D.

The Clinical Management of Elder Abuse: Steps and Challenges from a Social Work/Adult Protective Services Perspective - Georgia Anetzberger, Ph.D., A.C.S.W., L.I.S.W. 

Adult protective services (APS) may have the lead role in addressing elder abuse in the United States, but its efforts are fraught with challenges at every juncture.  This plenary session describes the role of APS, delineates steps in the APS process, and discusses various challenges uniquely faced by APS in investigating and intervening in situations of reported mistreatment and self-neglect.  Case studies are used to illustrate these challenges and potential measures to overcome them.

Break

Plenary: Emerging from Obscurity:  Elder Abuse's Slow Journey Toward the National Agenda - Marie-Therese Connolly, J.D.

Elder abuse has eluded meaningful public attention for decades and has been the subject of insufficient resources, research, training, policy, infrastructure, enforcement and legislation.  Why? What steps might nudge it into the public consciousness?

Closing Thoughts