  |
Social Work Combats Elder Abuse
Kenneth Onaitis, LMSW, Director,
Elder Abuse (CEMAPP) & Police Relations, The Burden Center for the
Aging, Inc.; Chair, NASW-NYC Gerontological Committee
Sarah M., a 72-year-old widow, just discovered that her loving daughter Molly has wiped out Sarah’s life savings. Is this elder abuse? Eighty-year-old Harry invited a “nice young man” to stay with him until the man finds an apartment. Now the man is stealing Harry’s money and won’t move out. Pat, a spry 67, saves everything and hasn’t showered in months. His apartment is full of garbage and the neighbors are complaining that it’s a fire hazard. Is this elder abuse?
The lack of a universal definition is only one of many challenges social
workers face in combating elder abuse. The criminal justice system broadly
defines it as when an older adult is the victim of a crime listed in their
jurisdiction’s penal code. The perpetrator may be a family member
or a stranger.
At CEMAPP (Community Elder Mistreatment and Abuse Prevention Program)
and the other eight NYC elder abuse programs funded by Department for
the Aging, we define elder abuse as: when an individual over 60 is the
victim of financial, psychological, physical abuse, and active or passive
neglect, regardless of the penal code. The abuser is someone the older
adult trusts, usually a family member, neighbor, or new best friend. Self-neglect,
a significant social issue, is not elder abuse. It is a parallel issue
because a self-neglecting individual is often more vulnerable to becoming
an elder abuse victim. In reality, the program “funder” typically
defines elder abuse.
Policy and practice in this burgeoning area are further muddied by the
fact that NY is one of the few states without a mandated reporting law.
But mandated reporting doesn’t necessarily answer the tough questions
like who should report it? And who shouldn’t? Who will finance the
increased costs of investigating and providing services? What is the role
of the family, community and government?
In practice, the elder abuse victim is well served by criminal justice
professionals – when the abuse is a crime and the victim asks for
help. The truth is that less than 20% of the elder abuse reports in NYC
are self-referrals. Four out of five older adults are resistant to services
or even to the acknowledgment of the mistreatment. When facing these resistant
clients, many professionals do what is expected by society. They tell
the victim what to do.
Social workers know that approach is usually not successful, especially
over the long term. Our profession shines because we are trained to engage
the client, to listen, to start where the client is. Shame and guilt keep
the reluctant client from admitting the abuse. The words “mistreated”
or “disrespected” are easier to say. The reluctant client
is also often able to tell us how to resolve the problem – make
the abusers stop drinking or get her an apartment. Social workers build
trust with the client by listening, educating, advocating and not telling.
As social workers we have an advantage over other professionals because
we practice identifying our own emotions. We are trained to identify how
our personal feelings might influence the client’s goals and intervention
plans. We also understand and work routinely with family dynamics.
Elder abuse is a multi-dimensional and often hidden problem that occurs
in families of all races, nationalities, and income groups. It is a growing
and challenging field – one well suited for the skills, commitment,
and leadership of the social work community.