The Abusive Elder

At this moment, depressed, manipulative, and ornery elders are disrupting activities and programs in nursing homes and other geriatric settings. They are also threatening the health and well-being of residents and staff. How can they be stopped? How can they be helped? The Abusive Elder: Service Considerations provides instruction, support, and intervention strategies for activity directors, recreational therapists, social workers, nurses, doctors, administrators, and volunteers who work with the abusive elderly. While the topic of abusive elders is considered taboo among many professionals, this book demystifies the issue and serves as a catalyst for change by increasing awareness, enhancing motivations to take action, and providing some clear recommendations for doing so.From identifying the four types of abuse (physical, sexual, psychological, violation of rights) to discussing the barriers to responding to abusive behavior, this book offers insight into an issue that has proven particularly unsettling, mind-boggling, and challenging for those engaged in service provider roles with the aged. Foremost among the topics readers learn about in The Abusive Elder are:

the abusive elder and victim--a compilation of service provider accounts of experiences with abusive elders, including work with the cognitively intact, depressed, manipulative, ornery, sexually disruptive, and those with dementia
intervention and activities--accounts of successful problem-resolution strategies and activities
emerging roles and practices--a nontraditional look at the kinds of volunteers who can play a role in helping nursing home staff resolve problems with abusive elders
legal planning--insight into the consequences of inadequate planning for abusive elders
avoiding staff burnout--advice on how to keep staff focused and energized as they respond to abusive elders
training--emphasizes the need for continuous staff development training and supportBy following contributors’recommendations, service providers will improve the effectiveness of programs and activities and increase staff development and retention. Editor Vera R. Jackson advises those who work with the abusive elderly to: demystify the issue, know the warning signs, develop a screening plan, maximize intervention, promote training and program development, promote stress reduction, increase the use of volunteers, and adhere to reporting requirements. While such straightforward advice is geared toward the practicing professional, college students and instructors will find The Abusive Elder equally informative and useful as a supplemental text for such courses as gerontology, health care and rehabilitation, physical therapy and recreation, sociology, and psychology. Whomever the reader, this book provides insight, from a variety of perspectives, into a largely ignored problem.