Emergency department and hospital-based programs responding to elder mistreatment: developing consensus about an idea...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Elder mistreatment is prevalent and often overlooked in healthcare settings.
• Emergency departments and hospitals are critical points for identifying at-risk older adults.
• Current identification and intervention strategies for elder mistreatment are insufficient.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the structure and function of two interdisciplinary elder mistreatment response teams.
• To highlight the potential of hospital-based and emergency department interventions for elder abuse.
• To introduce a special issue focused on improving elder mistreatment identification and care.

Main Methods:

• Description of two established interdisciplinary teams addressing elder mistreatment.
• Review of the operational models for emergency department and hospital-based interventions.
• Synthesis of findings presented in a dedicated special issue.

Main Results:

• Interdisciplinary teams offer a viable model for addressing elder mistreatment in acute care settings.
• Clinical encounters in emergency departments and hospitals present opportunities for intervention.
• The described teams demonstrate a practical approach to identifying and supporting mistreated elders.

Conclusions:

• Hospital and emergency department-based interdisciplinary teams are crucial for combating elder mistreatment.
• Enhanced identification and response systems are needed to protect vulnerable older adults.
• This work sets the stage for further research and implementation of effective elder abuse interventions.