Citation

Kurkurina E, Lange BCL, Lama SD, Burk-Leaver E, Yaffe MJ, Monin JK, Humphries D. J. Elder Abuse Negl. 2018; 30(2): 103-126.

Affiliation

Yale School of Public Health , New Haven , CT.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/08946566.2017.1382413

PMID

28956731

Abstract

There are no known instruments to aid law enforcement officers in the assessment of elder abuse (EA), despite officers' contact with older adults. This study aimed to identify: 1) officers' perceptions and knowledge of EA, 2) barriers in detecting EA in the field, 3) characteristics officers value in a detection tool, and to explore 4) the potential for officers to use the Elder Abuse Suspicion Index (EASI)©. Data was collected from 69 Connecticut officers who confirmed that barriers to effectively detecting EA included a lack of EA detection instruments, as well as a lack of training on warning signs and risk factors. Officers indicated that important elements of a desirable tool for helping to detect EA included ease of use, clear instructions, and information on follow-up resources. Approximately 80% of respondents could see themselves using the EASI

© in the field, and a modified version has been developed for this purpose.

Language: en

Keywords

Elder abuse; aging; detection; law enforcement; screening