The family caregiving career: implications for community-based long-term care practice and policy

Informal (i.e., unpaid) long-term care for disabled older adults is often chronic, but it is only recently that research has considered the longitudinal implications of family caregiving. In particular, investigators have conceptualized caregiving as a "career," and within the caregiving career, a number of diverse trajectories and transitions can occur. Following a summary of these findings, this paper considers how longitudinal caregiving research can influence and potentially address key policy and practice concerns, especially in the delivery and support of community-based long-term care (CBLTC) services. It is suggested that with the refinement of the informal long-term care literature, existing policy and practice to support caregiving families can be similarly advanced.     

Older women who experience mistreatment:circumstances and outcomes

Data from Virginia Adult Protective Services (APS) case files of 95 abused women aged 60 years and older were assessed to establish demographic trends; ability to care for self; type, pattern, and place of abuse; information on witnesses and alleged offenders; and case resolution and outcomes. The most common types of mistreatment reported were neglect, exploitation, and physical abuse. The women typically had several functional limitations and were dependent upon their family members for care. Most cases were not prosecuted, and the majority of women remain at risk for further abuse. Implications of these data for future research and practice are discussed.     

Elder Abuse Detection and Intervention: A Collaborative Approach by B. Brandl,C. B. Dyer,C. J. Heisler,M. J. Otto,L. A. Stiegel,and R. W. Thomas

Mediation has recently been developed in America to help seniors deal with their disputes. Some Long Term Care Ombudsmen and their volunteers have also been trained in mediation for use in institutional conflicts. This paper suggests that elder mediation, through its voluntary, non-coercive process, has the potential for enhancing elder rights, providing an acceptable form of minimal social intervention, and contributing to the prevention of elder abuse at early stages of relational conflicts between elders and their carers.     

An Adult Protective Services' View of Collaboration With Mental Health Services

Mental Health Services (MHS) meet mental health needs of older adults through active, outpatient, community-based care. Adult Protective Services (APS) are involved with needs of older adults who have mental disability and mental illness. Adult Protective Services and MHS staff may to work together when they respond to the needs of victims and adults at risk for abuse, neglect, self-neglect, and exploitation. The purpose of this study was to understand effective APS–MHS collaborations (e.g., leadership, organizational culture, administration, and resources in predicting success). A survey that was sent to members of the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) revealed that both APS and MHS have strong commitments to protecting clients' rights and autonomy, but there appear to be differences between the two with regard to implementation, apparent in cases involving clients with diminished mental capacity who are at imminent risk, but who refuse help. Strengths of APS–MHS collaborations included improved communication and better service for at-risk clients.     

Elder Abuse and Neglect: A Survey of Clergy Awareness,Knowledge, and Intervention Preferences

This article explores the research question: What is the perceived level of elder abuse and neglect awareness and knowledge among Protestant clergy members in Kentucky? Of the 300 clergy contacted, 160 participated, for a response rate of 53.3%. Pearson Chi-Square analyses were used to determine statistical significance, and phi coefficient correlations examined the strength of the associations between variables. Findings indicate that approximately 44% of clergy members in this study report some “awareness” of elder abuse and neglect. However, 56% of clergy respondents do not know that Kentucky is an “any person” mandatory reporting state. Specifically, participating clergy appear poorly informed about legal requirements for reporting elder abuse and neglect and perceive types of abuse differently. Untrained clergy with little formal training indicate a willingness to provide therapy to victims despite reporting that they do not feel qualified to do so.     

From behind the shadows: a profile of the sexual abuse of older men residing in nursing homes

Previous research on the sexual abuse of older adults has revealed few cases of the sexual abuse of older men. The first national study of the sexual abuse of vulnerable adults in facilities, reported in this article, collected data on alleged, investigated, and substantiated cases of sexual abuse. This study revealed 26 cases reported and screened in for investigation concerning the alleged sexual abuse of older men (aged 50 and older) residing in nursing homes. Cases occurred in five states within a six month time period. Of these cases, six were confirmed upon investigation by Adult Protective Services or other regulatory agencies. Victims tended to be predominantly white males with cognitive and physical deficits that limited their ability for self care. The most typical sexual abuse alleged and substantiated was fondling. Residents were more often substantiated as the abuser than other perpetrators. Sexual abuse of older men in nursing homes crosses traditional gender, cultural, and role boundaries for both victims and perpetrators.     

Developing human resource competencies: an empirical evidence

The paper conceptually defines and empirically investigates the density of work experience along with individual characteristics (cognitive ability, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience) and examine their influence on Human Resource (HR) competencies. 274 HR executives from diverse industry background and their supervisors participated in the data collection efforts spread over three phases. Data analyses revealed three key findings (i) executives’ density of work experience positively relates to HR competencies, (ii) executives’ cognitive ability is the strongest predictor of the positive relationship to HR competencies, and (iii) executives with high Conscientiousness tend to achieve levels of density of work experience. Relative weight analyses reinforce that cognitive ability and density of work experience are the most prominent predictors of HR competencies. Implications for practice are discussed.     

Land of the Free,Home of the Brave: Voting Accommodations for Older Adults

Voting is a fundamental right for all United States citizens, one that usually continues for elderly people as long as they are alive. As adults age, certain issues regarding voting warrant deeper consideration than in previous years, especially those presenting as a result of impaired sight, hearing difficulty, dementia, or other special needs. What will happen to millions of men and women who have taken the right to vote for granted, but who gradually become immobile or physically impaired? What are states doing to help secure the enfranchisement of an increasing number of older adult voters? The purpose of this article is to address these issues by focusing on the following questions: What has been the historical nature of polling place accommodations for elderly people? What are states doing in terms of accommodating older voters at the polls while ensuring the integrity of the voting process? What effect has recent Help America Vote Act legislation had with regard to polling place accommodations? Our results indicate that accommodations for older voters are being made but are not yet at a level required to serve a rapidly aging population.     

A framework for polyvictimization in later life

ABSTRACT

This article provides a context and overview for what is known about polyvictimization in later life. Drawing from previous literature, the article includes a definition of the phenomenon, as well as theoretical constructs by which it may be understood. We place other forms of polyvictimization within the context of elder abuse, recognize frameworks for conceptualizing polyvictimization in later life, and distinguish between polyvictimization at younger ages and polyvictimization in later life. The paper concludes with implications of the framework for research, practice, and policy.     

Urban bird conservation: presenting stakeholder-specific arguments for the development of bird-friendly cities

Following the call from the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity “Cities & Biodiversity Outlook” project to better preserve urban biodiversity, this paper presents stakeholder-specific statements for bird conservation in city environments. Based upon the current urban bird literature we focus upon habitat fragmentation, limited habitat availability, lack of the native vegetation and vegetation structure as the most important challenges facing bird conservation in cities. We follow with an overview of the stakeholders in cities, and identify six main groups having the greatest potential to improve bird survival in cities: i) urban planners, urban designers and (landscape) architects, ii) urban developers and engineers, iii) homeowners and tenants, iv) companies and industries, v) landscaping and gardening firms, vi) education professionals. Given that motivation to act positively for urban birds is linked to stakeholder-specific advice, we present ten statements for bird-friendly cities that are guided by an action perspective and argument for each stakeholder group. We conclude with a discussion on how the use of stakeholder-specific arguments can enhance and rapidly advance urban bird conservation action.