This document provides information about abuse in later life and efforts to address it. It discusses an OVW grant program to enhance training and services for abuse against older women. Abuse in later life overlaps with elder abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault. It affects both women and men aged 50+ in ongoing trusting relationships and can include various forms of abuse. Intimate partner violence is a significant segment. Collaboration between advocates, aging networks, health professionals and others benefits victim safety and resource sharing. Outreach must consider language, images, locations and building relationships to engage older adults.

1. ABUSE IN LATER LIFE
July 19, 2012

2. OVW Abuse in Later Life Grant
Program
 Enhanced Training and Services to End
Violence Against and Abuse of Women Later
in Life Program
 Training
 CCR & Systems Change
 Services
 http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/ovwgrantprograms.htm
#7

3. Abuse in Later Life as a Subset of Elder
Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Sexual
1.3
Assault
Elder
Abuse
Sexual Domestic
Assault Violence
OVW, NCALL (2012)

4. Abuse in Later Life
 Age: 50+
 Gender: Female and male
 Relationship: Ongoing with
expectation of trust
 Forms: Physical, emotional and
sexual abuse, neglect and financial
exploitation

5. Intimate Partner Violence
 Significant segment of elder abuse is
intimate partner violence
 Long-term relationship
 New relationship
 Late onset

6. Other relationships
 Adult son, daughter, grandchild
 Caregivers &Care receiver as abuser

7. Sexual Abuse in Later Life
 Victims: any age and range of ability
 Offenders: spouse/partner, adult sons,
grandchildren, caregivers, family members
and others. (least common: strangers)
 In private dwellings or facility settings

8. Sexual Abuse
 Hands on
 Hands off
 Harmful genital practices

9. 2.9 OVW, NCALL (2012)

10. Generational Issues
 Retain strong beliefs about privacy and self-
reliance
 Have traditional commitments to spouse,
family, home, male/female roles
 Believe domestic/sexual abuse service
programs only for women with children
 Historical trauma

11. Unique Barriers for Older
Survivors
 Ageism  $Economic issues
 Reaction of family  Adult child as
members perpetrator
 Health and disability  Spiritual and religious
issues beliefs
 Lack of system  Lack of affordable and
response suitable housing

12. Barriers in DV/SA Services
 No training on aging and the special needs of
older people
 First contact requirements
 IPV only services
 Off site visits
 Length of stay
 Medical needs

13. Advocacy Issues
 Legal issues
 POA’s, guardianships, health care directives
 Systems advocacy
 APS/Mandatory reporting, aging network,
senior housing
 Family
 Educate on protection orders, survivor issues

14. Considerations in Outreach
 Language
 Images
 Location
 Build relationships

15. Collaboration
2.15
 The act of working together;
united labor

16. Benefits of Collaboration
 Victim safety
 More resources for victims
 New ideas about how to approach a case
 Shared ownership and responsibility for case
outcomes
 Less “finger pointing”

17. Some Challenges
 Information sharing, confidentiality,
mandatory reporting
 Lack of resources
 Lack of understanding of what other
agencies can and cannot do
 Turf & Ego

18. Who Might be Involved
2.18
Advocates Aging
Faith
Network
Leaders
Health
Adult
Professionals
Protective Friends
Agencies
Ombudsman Family
Private Law Firm

19. Questions?

20. Contact Information
Ann Turner
Elder Victim Services & Advocacy Coordinator
NCALL
715-483-2521
annt@wcadv.org
www.ncall.us
Clip art throughout this PowerPoint by
Isis International
http://www.isiswomen.org/

22. CARIE’s Mission
Founded in 1977, CARIE’s mission is:
“To improve the well-being, rights and
autonomy of older persons through advocacy,
education and action”

23. Circle of
Advocacy
CASE
ACTION
CAUSE

24. Major Programs
 CARIE LINE
 Long Term Care Ombudsman
 PA-SMP
 Education and Research
 Public Policy Initiatives

25. CARIE LINE
 Serves more than 3,000 clients/year
 Provides options counseling, problem-solving support
and information on resources and services
 Service over the phone, free of charge and
confidential.
 No geographic boundaries
 Assistance also available online
 Special Focus Programs
 Victim Advocacy
 Transportation Advocacy
 Health Insurance Counseling

26. Long Term Care Ombudsman Program
 The Long Term Care Ombudsman program
provides resident advocacy for thousands of
consumers in nearly 150 nursing homes,
personal care homes, domiciliary homes and
adult daily living centers

27. The Pennsylvania SMP
 The SMP-PA Health Care Fraud program is a
federally funded peer-education program
 CARIE provides training to retired Medicare
beneficiaries across Pennsylvania to enable
them to educate Medicare and Medicaid
beneficiaries within their communities about
health care fraud, how to recognize it and what
to do about it.

28. Education and Research
 Development and presentation of education and
training programs for professionals,
administrators and staff in the field of aging and
aging services
 Competence with Compassion ® train-the-trainer
programs and manuals address elder abuse
prevention, ethics of long term care and core
training for direct care workers

29. Public Policy Advocacy
 Track legislative and policy developments at the
local, state and federal levels relevant to older
adults and their caregivers
 Provide oral and written testimony for
presentation to legislators and policy-makers
 Inform advocates and other professionals in the
field of aging of pertinent legislative and policy
initiatives

30. Special Project
Caregiver GPS - Caregiver Support Website
 The Elder’s Advocate, CARIE’s online resource
for caregivers of older adults.
 One of the most difficult challenges for
caregivers is addressing their loved one’s
changing needs for care. The CaregiverGPS
will help caregivers think about available
options and decisions that may need to be
made as a loved one’s care needs increase.
 http://www.caregivergps.org/

31. Contact Information
Diane A. Menio, Executive Director
Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly
(CARIE)
100 South Broad Street
1500 Land Title Building
Philadelphia, PA 19110-1088
(215) 545-5728
menio@carie.org – (267)546-3434
Website: www.carie.org
Webinar presented by:
Jennifer P. Braude, JD, MSW, Victim Advocate
braude@carie.org – (267) 546-3428