A Helping Voice
A Helping Voice is a warmline intended to support mandated reporters in the state of Maine in decision making and provide resources when the decision to report to adult protective services (APS) is unclear. The warmline launched in 2021 and remains an active program within the Elder Abuse Institute of Maine (EAIME). For more information,
RISESUP
RISESUP is a modification to the evidence-based RISE program (https://risemodel.org/), intending to develop and employ an modified version of RISE that includes a substance use program (SUP). The RISESUP program is being developed and tested for use within the Elder Service Connections (ESC) program within the Elder Abuse Institute of Maine (EAIME). The ESC program
Better Together, Couples Study
The Better Together, Couples study explores the causes and consequences of elder mistreatment (EM) that are unique to spousal and intimate partner dyads, specifically exploring the ways that the relationship history of spousal and intimate partner dyads is related to EM. Crucially, it aims to distinguish novel EM perpetrated by a spouse or intimate partner
R61 Wellness Engagement for Caregivers – Assessing Risk to Elders
This study focuses on the development and implementation of a risk assessment screen and an intervention in primary care settings. We focus on family care partners/caregivers (CPG), understanding there are times when their ability to appropriately care for a PLWD begins to be exceeded and that catching this dynamic before EM occurs is our goal
USC Street Medicine
Homelessness has grown to epidemic proportions in California. In Los Angeles County alone, more than 52,000 people are homeless. The vast majority of homeless people are not living in shelters and have little to no medical care available to them. Street Medicine serves the homeless community by providing direct care on the streets and under
Automating Client Referrals to a Multidisciplinary Team
Automating Client Referrals to a Multidisciplinary Team (aka MDT-ID: The MDT Case Identification Project) Adult maltreatment multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) review some of the most complex cases of elder abuse and abuse of dependent adults that are investigated by adult protective services (APS). They draw expert guidance and assistance from disciplines and agencies such as law
The Elder Abuse Curriculum for Medical residents and Geriatric Fellows
Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC in collaboration with practitioners from the Universities of California, Irvine, San Diego, and San Francisco, developed an Elder Abuse Curriculum comprised of five asynchronous modules, and one faculty facilitate module. The engaging, interactive curriculum is flexibly adapted to residency and fellowship programs and available at no
Judicial Guardianship Evaluation Worksheet
Dr. Bonnie Olsen, PhD, led a Department of Justice-funded national initiative to develop a tool for judges to consider less restrictive alternatives to guardianship and evaluate the risk of elder abuse in guardianship cases. Advised by a panel of experts, focus groups, and a pilot study of judges nationwide, the project team developed and disseminated
Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP)
The USC Geriatric Healthcare Collective is a program that aims to improve healthcare outcomes for underserved older adults in Los Angeles. Our program addresses three community needs: improving access to quality interprofessional geriatric primary care, recognizing and treating cognitive impairment in older adults, and providing education and skills training for clinical providers and healthcare students. Over
Perspectives on Victimization among Unsheltered Homeless People and Street Medicine Clinicians
journal article in development
Finance, Cognition, and Default Network in Aging (FCDNA)
Researchers at USC believe that changes in financial decision making in older age may be linked to cognitive decline. The overall goal of this study is to examine characteristics of financial decision making in older age (e.g., experiences of scam, fraud, and financial exploitation) in relation to possible markers of cognitive decline, change in behavioral
The Interview for Decisional Abilities (IDA 3.0-CA)
Adult Protective Service (APS) workers assess older adult clients for abuse and neglect and are asked to determine the client’s understanding of the risks they face so they can develop an intervention plan together. Yet, APS workers have little structured training in how to make such judgments. The Interview for Decisional Abilities (IDA 3.0-CA) is
Finance, Cognition, and Health in Elders Study (FINCHES)
The Finance, Cognition, and Health in Elders Study (FINCHES) aims to identify factors associated with financial exploitation and well-being among cognitively-intact older adults. Participant Eligibility Age 50 years or older Fluent in English No history of mental impairment No major medical problems with brain or emotional functioning Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) How long is the
Geriatric-Injury Documentation Tool (Geri-IDT)
Standardization in tools and documentation of child abuse and intimate partner violence have proven helpful in completely documenting injuries and suspected abuse among these populations. Similar tools do not yet exist for older adults and elder abuse. The purpose of this project was to 1) use insights from experts to develop a tool to assist
Elder Mistreatment in People with Dementia
With a rapidly aging population, the number of people with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD) is increasing exponentially, creating additional vulnerability for these individuals. However, little is known about how that vulnerability translates into increased risk for elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The Elder Mistreatment in People with Dementia project aims to uncover causal
Assessing Archstone’s Legacy on Elder Justice
To address the growing concern of elder abuse, the Archstone Foundation has invested over $15 million in more than 125 projects over the past 30 years to enhance the quality of elder care and the coordination of elder abuse and neglect services. Through sustained strategic grant-making efforts to promote elder justice, the Archstone Foundation has
Online Course to Support Healthy Caregiving Relationships
Caregiving for an aging parent, partner, or friend can add new challenges to existing relationships. With funding from the Archstone Foundation, USC is developing and evaluating an online course to provide caregivers with strategies to cope with new and evolving challenges related to the interpersonal and practical aspects of caregiving. Throughout the 10- to 12-week
APS Technical Assistance Resource Center/NAMRS
USC provides research support and guidance to the national Adult Protective Services Technical Assistance Resource Center (APS TARC), which is funded by the Administration for Community Living and administered by WRMA, Inc. The APS TARC supports adult protective services (APS) agencies across the U.S. through: (1) technical assistance; (2) administering and reporting on data submitted
Mistreatment Prevention Intervention
USC has partnered with Kaiser Permanente, with funding from the National Institute of Justice, to develop and pilot test a program designed to prevent elder mistreatment (Piloting a Comprehensive Caregiver Intervention: A Pathway to Preventing Elder Mistreatment). To do this, we are targeting education and support resources to caregivers of older adults who have care
Elder Abuse Guide for Law Enforcement (EAGLE)
Elder Abuse Guide for Law Enforcement (EAGLE) By virtue of U.S. demographics, elder abuse is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States. Elder Abuse Guide for Law Enforcement (EAGLE) is a national web module designed to support officers in identifying, intervening, and resolving cases of elder abuse. EAGLE funding was provided by
Abuse Intervention/Prevention Model (AIM)
The Abuse Intervention/ Prevention Model (AIM) Project introduces and tests a model that integrates the multiple factors associated with risk for elder abuse and neglect in adults with dementia and their caregivers. The objectives are to (1) develop and implement an assessment tool that generates a risk profile, (2) develop and implement a toolkit of
Archstone Caregiver Grant: “When the Going Gets Tough: Educating Caregivers”
The Archstone Caregiver Grant: “When the Going Gets Tough: Educating Caregivers” focuses on developing educational materials for family caregivers of persons with dementia about the risks of elder abuse and neglect. By gathering input directly from English and Spanish speaking caregivers of persons with dementia through informant interviews and focus groups, the project team has
Toward a Better Understanding of Elder Mistreatment in Community Settings
To add to the literature on the prevalence of elder abuse, the Toward a Better Understanding of Elder Mistreatment in Community Settings undertook interviews with individuals from largely Latino/Hispanic backgrounds, primarily low-income immigrants from Latin America. This project used a Promotores approach to maximize the respondents’ comfort level and increase how candid the respondents would
Los Angeles County Elder Abuse Forensic Center Evaluation
The Los Angeles County Elder Abuse Forensic Center Evaluation has been undertaken by the USC Leonard Davis School since 2006 and has been supported by several projects. Initial evaluation of the Forensic Center encompassed inquiry into the structure and process of the Center. Downstream, the Evaluating the Elder Abuse Forensic Center Model project added an
Forensic Markers of Physical Elder Abuse
The Forensic Markers of Physical Elder Abuse project has clinicians performing forensic examinations of both non-abused older adults and older adults referred to APS for physical abuse, to compare the injuries visible in each group. Results from these examinations have been reviewed by a LEAD Panel of family violence experts to achieve a determination of
Elder Abuse Multidisciplinary Team/EAFC Project
Please see the MDT Project page for more information. Contact: Kate Wilber (wilber@usc.edu)
Los Angeles County Elder Abuse Forensic Center
The Los Angeles County Elder Abuse Forensic Center has been in operation for 11 years providing interagency collaboration to help resolve complex cases of alleged elder abuse in LA County. Members include representatives from Adult Protective Services, Keck School of Medicine, USC Davis School of Gerontology, Los Angeles County District Attorney, Los Angeles County Office
Elder Abuse Forensic Telehealth Project
The Elder Abuse Forensic Telehealth Project is piloting telehealth technology to link geriatricians and geropsychologists with APS professionals in the field. This is expected to improve access to the limited professionals by maximizing efficiency of professional time and bridging geographic barriers. This project is funded thanks to a grant from the UniHealth Foundation.
USC-LAC Training a Workforce in Interprofessional Geriatrics
The growing population of older adults coupled with a shortage of a well-trained health care workforce for this population’s needs, requires innovative models for delivering care and plans to improve training to create a geriatric competent primary care workforce. USC-LAC Training a Workforce in Interprofessional Geriatrics (USC-LAC TWIG) is developing a comprehensive interprofessional geriatric primary