It’s hard to believe with the proliferation of the COVID-19 pandemic wending its way across the globe and into our lives, that just three short weeks ago elder abuse researchers, practitioners, and advocates convened in a communal embrace at the Tamkin Symposium in Pasadena, California. As current health protocols mandate, today we are increasingly insulated from colleagues and community. Conference discussions that centered on the threat of social isolation have given way to social distancing in our new daily reality. Hopefully, we will return to normalcy in the months ahead. And, while coronavirus and elder mistreatment are disparate in form, transmission, and impact, there are parallels. For those in the field, it is no secret that elder mistreatment is a public health concern, deeply complex, and without ready answers or quick remedies.
In the search for abuse preventions and interventions, the Tamkin Symposium provides a unique and unequaled forum for academics and providers to present, exchange, and discuss ideas. This year’s theme, Linking Research to Practice, underscored concepts in contrast and alignment. Traditional theoretical and definitional underpinnings were challenged across domains. Following is a snapshot of the shared insights.
Definitions and Remedies
Several scholars questioned characterizations of abused older adults as victims, a designation many mistreated elders are disinclined to accept. To this point, existing interventions were re-examined in light of person-centered goals. Academics addressed the tension between preserving an elder’s preferences and autonomy against protective considerations of safety and security. Opportunities to support personal independence and goals through supported decision-making and elder advocates were cited. Similarly, panelists noted older adults’ increasing desire for harm reduction or nuanced, restorative relief over criminal justice remedies.