The Clinical Management of Elder Abuse

Learn to detect elder abuse—and provide the help that your neglected or abused elderly clients need!

Even to clinicians experienced in managing difficult client situations, elder abuse is perplexing, complex, and ethically charged. This kind of abuse can be hard to detect, with its subtle manifestations and indicators that could just as easily reflect other problems or illnesses. It can seem impossible to control, particularly when the victim refuses help or denies the seriousness of mistreatment. Moreover, decision-making when dealing with interventions for elder abuse is rarely easy and is frequently clouded by ethical dilemmas.

The Clinical Management of Elder Abuse can help. This essential guide for present and future clinicians provides you with multidisciplinary perspectives on detecting elder abuse situations and interventions that can make a real difference in the lives of clients. Three case studies are presented and then examined from the professional perspectives of an attorney, a physician, a nurse, and a social worker. What these professionals have to say will leave you better informed about the dynamics and complexities of elder abuse, about important steps that must be taken in the clinical management of elder abuse, and about the importance and application of multidisciplinary teams in elder abuse work. The handy figures, lists of definitions, and tables you’ll find in this well-referenced book make important concepts and complex information easy to access and understand.

The Clinical Management of Elder Abuse shows how professionals in the above disciplines can address the effects of elder abuse, which may manifest as:

• physical effects, including pain and injury, sleep disturbances, eating problems, and headaches
• behavioral effects, including anger, helplessness, reduced coping abilities, and suicidal actions
• psychological effects, which can be wide-ranging and include denial, fear, anxiety, and depression
• social effects, such as increased dependence, withdrawal, and lessened contact with the outside world

As the baby boom generation ages, incidents of elder abuse are certain to continue to increase. Whether you are a student, an educator, an experienced clinician, or a novice in the field, The Clinical Management of Elder Abuse is a resource that you’ll return to again and again as you work to improve the lives of this important, growing population.