Table of Contents

About This Course

1. Introduction to Elder Abuse
2. The Basics of Elder Abuse
3. Substance Use and Other Risk Factors
4. Screening and Assessment
5. Intervention and Treatment
6. Preventing Elder Abuse

Supplements
Case Studies
References
Resources

Out of the Shadows
Uncovering Substance Use and Elder Abuse

Detection: Indicators of Elder Mistreatment

Professional Observations

• Patient appears fearful of family member
• Patient appears reluctant to respond when questioned
• Patient and family member provide conflicting accounts of incident
• Family member is indifferent or angry towards patient and refuses to provide necessary assistance
• Family member appears overly concerned with costs of medical care and services
• Family member seeks to prevent the patient from interacting privately or speaking openly with health care provider
• Family member appears concerned about a particular patient problem but not the patient's overall health

History

• Pattern of physician and/or hospital hopping
• Unexpected delay in seeking treatment
• Series of missed medical appointments
• Previous unexplained injuries
• Explanation of past injuries inconsistent with medical findings
• Previous reports of similar injuries

Risk Factors

• Family Member Psychopathology: Presence of mental illness, mental retardation, dementia, or drug or alcohol abuse
• Transgenerational Violence: Family history of violence
• Dependency: Patient or family member dependent on the other for housing , finances, emotional support, or caregiving
• Isolation:Patient does not have the opportunities to relate with people or pursue activities and interests in a manner he or she chooses
• Stress: Recent occurrence of stressful life events such as loss of a job, moving, or death of a significant other
• Living Arrangements: Patient and family member live together

Source: Breckman, R. S., & Adelman, R. D. (1998). Strategies for helping victims of elder mistreatment. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications.