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Native American Elder Abuse Online Interactive Educational Modules

“RestoringrespectanddignitybyhonoringIndigenouselders”

SloanHenry,B.S.ProjectCoordinator- NIEJI

2016 National Indian Council on Aging Conference

NationalIndigenousElderJusticeInitiative

Objectives

vBriefoverviewtypesofelderabuse.vTheorybehindelderabuse.vKnowwhatmakeseldersvulnerable.vAddressingElderabuseinIndianCountry.vPurposeandgoalsforOnlineEducationaltrainingmodules.

vPreviewofGatewayandFinancialmodules.

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What is Elder Abuse?

vNationalCenteronElderAbuse

“Anyknowing,intentional,ornegligentactbyacaregiveroranyotherpersonthatcausesharmoraseriousriskofharmtoavulnerableadult.”

What types of elder abuse?

vPhysicalAbusevSexualAbusevEmotional/PsychologicalAbusevNeglectvFinancialExploitationvSelf-NeglectvSpiritualAbuse

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Poly-victimizationWhenanelderisharmedthroughmultipleco-occurringorsequentialtypesofelderabusebyoneormoreperpetrators,orexperiencesonetypeofabuseperpetratedbymultiplepeopleinatrustrelationshipwiththeelder.v Multiplevictimization

Whenanelderisabusedinthesamewayrepeatedlybymorethanoneperson(repeatedverbalabuse).

v Multi-facetedAbuseWhenanelderreceivesmorethanonetypeofabuseoveraperiodoftime(emotional/psychological,physical,neglect,spiritual)

v Hybrid ElderAbuseWhenaneldersuffersfromacombinationofmultipletypesofabuseandmultipleabusers.

v Co-Occuring formsofElderAbuseWhenanelderreceivesmorethanonetypeofabuseatonce(emotional/psychological,physical,neglect,spiritual)

Why does elder abuse happen?

vOpportunisticActvPremeditatedandcalculatedvPrejudicesvEnvironmentvIgnorancevLackofskillsvLackofexternalsupport

http://www.elderabuse.org.uk/mainpages/Abuse/abuse_why.html

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What causes elder abuse?

CaregiverStressModelsaysElderAbuseisduetostressassociatedwithprovidingcareandassistancetofrail,highlydependentelderlypeople.vDoesn’tfitallcases!

Whatmakeseldersvulnerable?vTrustingnaturevPerceivedtobeeasytofoolorconvHavesteadysourceofincomevIsolation

Why Are Elders Vulnerable?v HealthStatus

Ø “vulnerabledecision-makers”Ø LimitedphysicalmobilityØ LimitedindependenceØ VisualImpairmentØ HearingLossØ Depression

v CognitiveAbilityØ Decreasedinformationprocessing/problem-solvingØ DecliningMemoryØ Difficultyreading/understandingproductlabelsØ Difficultyinterpretingcomparativeinformationfordecisionmaking.

• Kim,Eun-Jin,andLorenGeistfeld.2008.Whatmakesolderadultsvulnerabletoexploitationorabuse? TheForumforFamilyandConsumerIssues,13(1).

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Why Are Elders Vulnerable?

vSocialNetworkØLesssocialintegration,morestressØSocialIsolationbecauseofpoorhealth,retirement,lossofspouse&friends.

ØLessfriendsupportwithageduetomortalityØRelyonretailers/serviceprovidersasasourceofsocialsupport.

ØLackofsocialsupportresultsinsusceptibilitybecausenowaytovalidateinformation.

•Kim,Eun-Jin,andLorenGeistfeld.2008.Whatmakesolderadultsvulnerabletoexploitationorabuse? TheForumforFamilyandConsumerIssues,13(1).

Health Effects of Elder Abuse

} Increased Mortality◦ Lachs et al. 1998, Dong et al. 2009

} Poorer physical outcomes (probable)◦ American Medical Association 1990; Anetzberger 2004; Lindbloom et al.

2007

� Increased pain� Exacerbation of existing conditions� Welts, wounds, injuries� Increased susceptibility to infection

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Financial Effects of Elder Abuse

v Restitution often not forthcoming or too latev No time to rebuild assetsv Loss of choices for older adult; loss of

independencev Reliance on others for financial support

v More quickly spending down to Medicaid

High Risk Situations

People with inadequately treated mental health and / or substance abuse problems are more likely to be abusive

People who feel stressed / burdened / resentful are more likely to be abusive

Providing care for an older adult who is physically combative and/or verbally abusive

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Identifying Problems and Concerns

v TheNationalCenteronElderAbuse(NCEA,2005),estimatedthatforeveryreportedcaseofelderabuse,14caseswillgounreported.

v LittleisknownabouthowwidespreadelderabuseisinIndianCountry.

vNoinfrastructureorcoordinatedsystemscurrentlyinplaceforprevention,protection,andsupportfortheelder.

vUnderstandingofwhatconstituteselderabuseisdifficult,asmanyeldersmayonlyconsidervictimizationasphysicalabuse,increasingrisksofotherformsofabuse.

NIEJI’s Intended Purpose

vGeneralconsensusthatpeoplemaynotknowwhatconstituteselderabuseorneglect.

vProduceinformationonhowtodefineandrecognizeelderabuseinIndianCountry.

v EducateEVERYONE onelderabuseandneglect,andlearnwaysonhowtohelppreventit.

vCreationofculturallyrelevantmaterialsprovidingviewerswithtrainingtoolsandinformationaboutelderabuseandneglect.Specificallygearedforformalandinformalcareproviders,lawenforcement,andeldersthemselves.

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Online Interactive Educational Modules

v OnJune15th 2016,NIEJIlaunchedtheNativeAmericanElderAbuseOnlineInteractiveEducationalModules.Availableatwww.nieji.org

v DesignedforprofessionaldisciplinesworkingwithandcaringforNativeEldersinavarietyofsettings.– Elder– Caregiving– SocialServices– Financial– Legal– Policy– Healthcare

Interactive Icons

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Current Training Modules

v OnlineeducationalmodulesonElderAbuseandNeglectarelocatedontheNIEJIwebsite:– Werecommenduserswatchthe“Elder”feathericonfirstasthisisanintroductiontoallothermodules.

– Threecompletedtrainingsforprofessionalsineldercarefields;SocialServices,Financial,andCaregivers.

– WearecurrentlyworkingontrainingmodulesforPolicy,Legal,andHealthCareworkers.

Online Interactive Educational Modules

v ModulescontainsvaluableinformationtogainculturalunderstandingandbestpracticesinthevariousdisciplinesaddressingelderabuseandneglectinIndianCountry.

v EachtrainingmoduleincludesaimsandlearningobjectivesforprofessionalsworkingcloselywithNativeAmericanelders.

v Includedarewaystoidentifypotentialsignsandriskfactorsforelderabuseandneglect,andhowtoreportsuspectedabusetoproperauthorities.

v AlsoincludedareculturallyappropriatepracticessuchasuseoflanguagewhileworkingwithNativeAmericanelders.AllofwhichwillhelptheprofessionaltoaddresstheseconcernsinarespectfulmannerwhichadherestoNativeAmericantraditionalbeliefsandpractices.

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NIEJI- Online Educational Modules

vLetswatchtheNIEJI- ElderAbuseonlineeducationalmodule!!!!!– https://www.nieji.org/training/elder-abuse/

vLetswatchFinancialonlineeducationalmodule!!!!!

Certificates of Completion

vIncludedisacertificateofcompletionattheendofeacheducationalmodule.

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For More Information

National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative

Phone:701-777-6780Toll-freeNumber:855-834-1572

E-mailinfo@nieji.orgWebsite:www.nieji.org

ThankYou!Miigwitch!