National Center on Elder Abuse E-News

Volume 10 Number 9 July 2008

In This Issue:

Washington Credit Union League Launches "Financial Elder Abuse: What You
Need to Know" (page 1)

New Online Resources from the American Bar Association Commission on Law
and Aging: Adult Protective Services Legal Charts (page 2)

Update: NCEA Public Awareness Inventory (page 3)

19^th^ Annual National Adult Protective Services Association Conference
(page 4)

"Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce"
(page 4)

"Senior Crime Busters" Kicked Off in Westchester County (page 5)

The Women's Institute for a Secure Retiremen Releases Two New
Publications (page 5)

Funding Opportunities (page 6)

Elder Abuse Research (page 6)

Calendar of Events (page 7)

Credits (page 9)

Washington State Credit Union League Launches "Financial Elder Abuse:
What You Need to Know"

In June, the Washington Credit Union League cast a comprehensive safety
net throughout the state as it disseminated the training and prevention
program, "Financial Elder Abuse: What You Need to Know" to all credit
unions. The project was the culmination of a two-year initiative in
response to growing evidence that elder financial abuse was a problem
experienced by many credit union members. The League's Tomorrow's
Leaders Council prioritized the issue as warranting consumer outreach
and professional training, noting that many members were being taken
advantage of by strangers, family, and acquaintances.

"We all realized that this was a significant issue, and it was only
going to get worse as the Baby Boomers aged," said Mary-Beth Spuck, who
leads the project along with Phyllils Kaczmarski, both of the Twin Star
Credit Union. She noted that the issue also reverberated on a personal
level, as Council members were increasingly taking on caregiving roles.

According to one of the project developers, Jackie Bruhn of White River
Credit Union, the project initially began as an effort to train credit
union employees to spot "red flags" of potential exploitation. The scope
of the mission expanded in spring 2007, when an aging services
professional from the Tacoma area, Connie Cline, enlisted the League to
participate with the Pierce County Better Business Bureau in "Scam Jam,"
sponsored by the Pierce County Council on Aging. The response to the
event was overwhelming, attended by hundreds of county seniors, and the
impetus to collect the materials for distribution as a comprehensive
training and outreach resource. While bank reporting projects have been
previously established, the program developers think this is the first
statewide targeting of credit unions.

The expansion of the project was made possible when the Washington
Credit Union Foundation, the WCUL's philanthropic arm, granted
Tomorrow's Leaders \$20,000 to create and distribute program materials
statewide. The grant was the largest endowed by the Foundation, and the
first to target consumer education. The project has also benefited by
partnership with the Attorney General of Washington State and the
Department of Financial Institutions.

Ms. Kaczmarski reports that the program promotes public awareness of
elder financial abuse as a "real" problem likely to become worse as the
population ages; promotes professional awareness among credit union
employees and offers education on how to detect potential abuse and
exploitation, and how to proceed; and assists credit union
administrators as they establish policies and protocols necessary to
effectively respond to suspected abuse and exploitation.

The packet consists of a CD which includes a PowerPoint overview of
financial exploitation; training scenarios that allow employees to role
play their responses to suspected mistreatment; brochures for consumers;
and samples of protocols that can be modeled or adapted for individual
institutions.

Sharon Hall, the League's chief financial officer, points out that the
success of the initiative is the result of the efforts of many,
including the original project leader, Terry Gresswell. Approximately 40
members of Tomorrow's Leaders contributed to the project development,
which included not only the creation of packet materials but
presentations on elder financial abuse prevention at various public
events, such as "Making the Case for Justice: Investigation and
Prevention of Crimes against Elders and Vulnerable Adults," sponsored by
the King County Attorney's Office.

The Washington Credit Union League is the state trade association for
the 128 financial cooperatives that serve nearly three million
Washingtonians. Since 1934 the League has played an important role in
ensuring the health and vitality of the state's credit unions and is
part of a nationwide support network that includes the Credit Union
National Association and the Association's Mutual Group, the U.S.
Central Network and the World Council of Credit Unions. Tomorrow's
Leaders won the Pierce County 2007 Community Partner Award for its
involvement in Scam Jam. To learn more, visit the League's website at:
http://www.waleague.org/. For additional information on "Financial Elder
Abuse: What You Need to Know" email Sharon Hall at: <shall@waleague.org>
or the League's Director of Public Relations, David Bennett at:
dbennett@waleague.org.

New Online Resources from the American Bar Association Commission on Law
and Aging: Adult Protective Services Legal Charts

The American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging recently posted
several new legal charts that provide state-by-state information on
adult protective services laws. The charts were prepared by the
Commission for the National Center on Elder Abuse.

The "Mandatory Reporting to Adult Protective Services" charts provide a
valuable tool for advocates and professionals across disciplines
attempting to identify individual state reporting requirements, or
seeking comparative state-to-state information. There are three
documents in all, including an explanation of two mandatory reporting
documents: "Reporting Requirements: Provisions and Citations in Adult
Protective Services Laws, by State" (or the "provisions chart"); and
"Mandatory Reporters: Comparison Charts of Categories in Adult
Protective Services Laws, by State" (referred to as the "categories
charts").

In addition to the mandatory reporting series, the following new charts
are also now available: "Abuse Registries;" "Adult Protective Services
Access to Victims to Conduct Investigations and Provide Services;"
"Adult Protective Services as Guardian;" "Definitions of Capacity to
Consent;" and "Definitions of Caregiver."

All charts are accessible from either the NCEA web site at:
<http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/NCEAroot/Main_Site/Find_Help/APS/Analysis_State_Laws.aspx>
or from the Commission's elder abuse web page at:
<http://www.abanet.org/aging/about/elderabuse.shtml>. They can also be
accessed from the Commission's web page at:
[www.abanet.org/aging](http://www.abanet.org/aging) by clicking on the
"Elder Abuse" tab on the left margin.

Update: NCEA Public Awareness Inventory

In the fall of 2007, the NCEA announced the inventorying of elder abuse
public awareness materials (see the November NCEA E-News online at:
[http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/NCEAroot/Main_Site/Resources/Newsletter/2007/NCEA%20Newsletter-%20November2007.pdf](http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/NCEAroot/Main_Site/Resources/Newsletter/2007/NCEA Newsletter- November2007.pdf).)
Brochures, pamphlets, videos, posters, public service announcements,
web-based resources, and other materials have been identified and coded
by format, content, and intended audience, among other descriptors. The
materials are being catalogued in the Clearinghouse on Abuse and Neglect
of the Elderly online database, and will be easily identified when
searching by the keyword "public awareness." The inventory list will
also be available on the NCEA web site.

In addition to providing descriptions of existing public awareness
materials, the NCEA has a long range goal of providing online access to
materials for which permissions to share can be obtained.

The NCEA has also conducted a case study analysis of successful social
marketing campaigns, the results of which will be presented in a white
paper, late summer 2008. The descriptive analysis of the public
awareness inventory, coupled with the results presented in the white
paper regarding effective social marketing components, will provide
valuable information to the NCEA in creating a national public awareness
strategy.

To date, approximately 500 public awareness and outreach tools have been
identified. Some materials are components of integrated campaigns, and
others are stand alone pieces. Many of the materials were submitted to
NCEA by aging services and other professionals, while others were
identified through internet searches. The NCEA wishes to thank those who
contributed to the inventory, and encourages all interested parties to
continue to submit newly created materials, in hard or electronic
copies, to:

National Center on Elder Abuse/University of Delaware

Center for Community Research and Service at the University of Delaware

297 Graham Hall

Newark, Delaware 19716

Email: ncea-info@aoa.hhs.gov

Register Now for the 19^th^ Annual National Adult Protective Services
Association Conference -- "Adult Protective Services: Advocating,
Protecting and Serving Vulnerable Adults"

The National Adult Protective Services Association, in collaboration
with the Illinois Department on Aging, is sponsoring its 19^th^ annual
conference in Chicago, Illinois, August 26^th^ through 29^th^, 2008 at
the Chicago Sheraton Hotel and Towers. The pre-conference intensive
session will be held on Tuesday, August 26^th^ on the topic of
self-neglect, entitled: "When 'Do No Harm' is Not Possible: What Can We
Learn from the Mary Northern Case?" The keynote will be delivered on
Wednesday by Dr. Bertice Berry, sociologist, author, educator,
entertainer, and comedienne.

The diverse program menu includes 58 individual sessions that address
not only practice topics (such as mental health and substance abuse
issues, and forensic interviewing) but cover broader issues such as
elder and disabilities rights, management and administrative concerns,
and media

relations. The National Adult Protective Services Association is also
featuring a lakefront dinner cruise on the Spirit of Chicago.

Visit:
<https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=620132> for
more information, or email Anne Kincaid at: Anne.Kincaid@APSNETWORK.ORG.

"Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce"

With the aging of the baby boom generation and increased life
expectancy, the U.S. is facing a national health care shortage to
adequately meet the needs of older Americans. To address these concerns,
the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies appointed an ad hoc
Committee on the Future Health Care Workforce for Older Americans. The
Institute of Medicine recently posted the Committee's findings in a
report entitled "Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health
Care Workforce."

The Committee recommends that we "explore ways to broaden the duties and
responsibilities of workers at various levels of training; better
prepare informal caregivers to tend to the needs of aging family members
and friends; and develop new models of health care delivery and payment
as old ways sponsored by federal programs such as Medicare prove to be
ineffective and inefficient...." Incentives are needed to recruit and
retain geriatric specialists, including increased financial compensation
and loan forgiveness. The committee further recommends enhanced
geriatric content in training curricula and requirements for various
health care providers to demonstrate competencies in geriatric care. In
addition, seniors are encouraged to be active partners in their own
care.

Additional materials available include report briefs in English and
Spanish, a fact sheet, and a PowerPoint presentation, all accessible
online at: <http://www.iom.edu/?ID=53452>.

"Senior Crime Busters" Kicked Off in Westchester County

"Senior Crime Busters" is an elder fraud prevention program intended to
educate seniors to successfully avoid financial exploitation. The
collaborative outreach effort, which incorporates representatives from
law enforcement, social services agencies, and non-profit organizations,
was recently launched in Westchester County, New York.

Seminars will be conducted by a pairs of speakers from the Westchester
Elder Abuse Coalition of the Department of Senior Programs.
Presentations will be held at senior centers, libraries, faith-based
centers, and other community locations. Each presentation will address
personal safety tips as well as prevention of consumer fraud, including
identify theft, telemarketing scams, and other crimes. Featuring a video
created by the county, presentations will illustrate common financial
exploitation scenarios. The scenarios demonstrate how seniors can fall
victim to predators, but also how they can avoid these perils and
correct missteps.

The Coalition is comprised of representatives from the Departments of
Consumer Protection, Social Services and Public Safety, the Office for
Women, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office, the New York
State Attorney General's Office, and the Pace Women's Justice Center.

The Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement Releases Two New
Publications

The Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement recently posted two new
publications.

"Your Future Paycheck: Minority Women and Retirement Income," is an
updated report by the Institute in conjunction with Mothers' Voices
Georgia, and MANA, A National Latina Organization. Although poverty
rates among the elderly have dropped overall in the last quarter century
years, older minority women remain significantly disadvantaged. This
report (online at:
http://www.wiserwomen.org/pdf_files/minoritywomen08.pdf) considers the
underlying causes for the disparities.

"Financial Steps for Caregivers," is intended to help working women who
are also full- or part-time family caregivers prepare for their own
retirement. The booklet features information on household budgeting,
decisions regarding leaving work or obtaining part-time employment, and
the financial impact of being a caregiver. The guide is online at:
<http://216.70.87.179/portal/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=55&Itemid=24>.

For more information on the Women's Institute visit the organization's
home page at:
<http://www.wiserwomen.org/portal/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1>.
Additional publications are accessible online at:
<http://www.wiserwomen.org/portal/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=1&Itemid=24>.

Funding Opportunities:

The following funding opportunities are now available:

Helping Outreach Programs to Expand Grants

Application deadline: Open, dependent upon available funding.

Helping Outreach Programs to Expand awards grants to improve outreach
to, and services for, crime victims. Grassroots, nonprofit,
community-based, and faith-based victim services organizations are among
those eligible to apply.

For more information, visit:
<http://www.ovc.gov/fund/expandingoutreach/welcome.html>.

National Legal Resource Center

Application Deadline: August 4, 2008

The U.S. Administration on Aging recently announced the following
request for proposals: "...the Administration on Aging plans to award
five cooperative agreements to organizations that will collaborate and
collectively function as one National Legal Resource Center ...."

For more information, visit:
<http://www.aoa.gov/doingbus/fundopp/announcements/2008/FY08-NationalLegalResourceCenter.pdf>.

Elder Abuse Research

The Clearinghouse on Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly maintains an
annotated catalog of peer-reviewed literature on elder mistreatment and
related issues. The following are highlights of recently identified
publications. To search for additional references, visit
<http://www.cane.udel.edu/> . Special thanks to Liz Kowalczyk for
compiling this update.

Franzini, L. & Dyer, C.B.

Healthcare Costs and Utilization of Vulnerable Elderly People Reported
to Adult Protective Services for Self-Neglect

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Vol. 56 (4), 667-677; April 2008.

Journal article (research)

This study assessed the financial impact of self-neglecting seniors on
the nation's healthcare system by comparing the utilization and cost of
healthcare for elderly adults referred to adult protective services for
self-neglect to a group of matched-pair controls. One-hundred and
thirty-one individuals, matched by gender, race, and age, were selected
to be in each group and all participants were treated by the same
healthcare practice. Data were collected from the year prior to the
study and again one year later. It was hypothesized that the utilization
and cost of healthcare for self-neglecting patients would be lower,
compared to the control group, prior to the study and higher following
diagnosis. However, the data showed no significant difference between
healthcare utilization and costs of the self-neglecting patients and the
control group, despite a much higher incidence of dementia and other
health conditions among the self-neglecters. These findings suggest that
diagnosing and treating self-neglect does not pose a significant
financial threat to our nation's healthcare system.

Cooper, C., Manela, M. & Katona, C., et al

Screening for Elder Abuse in Dementia in the Laser-Ad Study: Prevalence,
Correlates and Validation of Instruments

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry

Vol. 23 (3), 283-288; March 2008.

Journal article (research)

This study assessed the validity of the self-reporting Modified Conflict
Tactics Scale and compared it to the Minimum Data Set -- Abuse screen,
an observer-reporting measurement instrument. A total of 86 individuals
with Alzheimer's disease and their family caregivers, originally
recruited for a longitudinal study in England, participated in the
research. While the Modified Conflict Tactics Scale demonstrated
convergent and discriminant validity and was deemed acceptable to family
caregivers, the Minimum Data Set -- Abuse screen was found to be less
sensitive in predicting abuse of Alzheimer's patients by family
caregivers. Caregiver burden, caregiver gender (male), and caring for an
individual with cognitive decline were found to be strongly correlated
with caregiver abuse of individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

Naik, A., Lai, J., Kunik, M. & Dyer, C.

Assessing Capacity in Suspected Cases of Self-Neglect

Geriatrics

Vol. 63 (2), 24-31; February 2008.

Journal article (scholarship)

This case study looks at a disturbing instance of self-neglect, provides
an overview of this phenomenon, and outlines an effective capacity
assessment method for use by clinicians. The importance of assessing an
individual's decision-making capacity along a spectrum is stressed and
the distinction between decisional capacity, or the ability to make
decisions, and executive capacity, the ability to successfully execute
those decisions, is discussed. The ArticulateDemonstrate method of
clinical assessment is presented as an effective means of determining an
individual's capacity level. The assessment method consists of the
Articulate step, which involves interviewing the patient to determine
his or her level of decision-making ability, and the Demonstrate step,
which involves follow-up with the patient to determine whether they have
successfully implemented their decision-making abilities.

Federal Legislative Update: The Federal Legislative Update, the NCEA
E-News highlight of recent legislative developments that may impact the
lives of older Americans, will be published quarterly. The next Federal
Legislative Update is slated to appear in the August 2008 issue.

Calendar of Events

July 20 - 23, 2008

National Association of Area Agencies on Aging 33rd Annual Conference &
Tradeshow

Renaissance Nashville Hotel and the Nashville Convention Center
Nashville, Tenessee

Website: <http://www.n4a.org/2008conf/nashville2008.cfm>

Telephone: 202-872-0888

July 22, 2008 - July 25, 2008

Elder Abuse Instructor Training Program

Wayne, New Jersey

Email: stateandlocaltraining@dhs.gov

Telephone: 800-743-5382

Website:
http://www.fletc.gov/training/programs/state-local/training-opportunities/elder-abuse-instructor-training-program-eaitp/

August 26 - 29, 2008

The 19th Annual National Adult Protective Services Association
Conference

Adult Protective Services: Advocating, Protecting and Serving Vulnerable
Adults

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

Chicago, Illinois

Email: Anne.Kincaid@APSNETWORK.ORG

Telephone: 720-565-0906

Website: <http://www.apsnetwork.org/Training/conference.htm>

September 10 -- 11, 2008

5^th^ Annual Making the Case for Justice Conference: Investigation and
Prevention of Crimes Against Elder and Vulnerable Adults

Meydenbauer Center

Bellevue, Washington

Email: <cyndee.cavanah@kingcounty.gov>

Telephone: 206-296-8797

September 16, 2008 - September 19, 2008

Elder Abuse Instructor Training Program

Dallas, TX

Email: stateandlocaltraining@dhs.gov

Telephone: 800-743-5382

Website:
http://www.fletc.gov/training/programs/state-local/training-opportunities/elder-abuse-instructor-training-program-eaitp/

September 23-25, 2008

Prosecuting Elder Abuse Cases

National College of District Attorneys -- America's School for
Prosecutors

National Advocacy Center

Columbia, South Carolina

Email: erin.gaddy@ndaa.org

Telephone: (803) 705-5093

Website:
http://www.ndaa.org/education/ndaa/special_issues_training_schedule.html

December 3 -- 6, 2008

8^th^ Annual National Aging and Law Conference

Double Tree Hotel

Arlington, Virginia

Email: mgouge@aarp.org

Telephone: 202-434-2197

Website:
http://aarpnltp.grovesite.com/page.asp?o=aarpnltp&s=NLTP&p=257256

Credits and Contact Information

National Center on Elder Abuse E-News

To subscribe, go to:
[http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/NCEAroot/Main_Site/Resources/Newsletter/Newsletter_Subscribe.aspx](../%20http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/NCEAroot/Main_Site/Resources/Newsletter/Newsletter_Subscribe.aspx)

To learn more or to contact us, you may visit our website, write, email,
or call:

National Center on Elder Abuse/University of Delaware

Center for Community Research and Service at the University of Delaware

297 Graham Hall

Newark, Delaware 19716

Website: www.ncea.aoa.gov

Email: ncea-info@aoa.hhs.gov

Telephone: 302-831-3525

National Center on Elder Abuse Grantees:

1\. Clearinghouse on Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly (website:
[www.cane.udel.edu](http://www.cane.udel.edu/) )

2\. National Adult Protective Services Association (website:
[www.apsnetwork.org](http://www.apsnetwork.org/) )

3\. National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (website:
[www.preventelderabuse.org](http://www.preventelderabuse.org/))

Federal Disclaimer:

The National Center on Elder Abuse E-News is published monthly by the
Clearinghouse on Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly (CANE) of the
University of Delaware, and edited by Sharon Merriman-Nai. The National
Center on Elder Abuse newsletter is supported in part by a grant (Number
90AM3146) from the Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services. Grantees undertaking projects under government
sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and
conclusions. Therefore, points of view or opinions do not necessarily
represent official Administration on Aging policy.