Elder Abuse and the Public’s Health

The goals of this book are: to establish elder abuse as a public health problem, stressing that primary, secondary, and tertiary preventions of the problem are well within the scope of work performed by public health professionals; to address major public policy/public health initiatives because they relate to elder mistreatment and abuse; to frame elder abuse as a global and human rights issue; and to provide a text that supports the development of core competencies for public health work to prevent elder abuse and mistreatment. The book comprises of nine chapters, which frame elder abuse as a public health problem, situate elder abuse and mistreatment within the core functions of public health, and explain elder abuse and the role of public health law and health services administration. It explores elder abuse in the context of topical issues and groups addressed by public health (e.g., intimate partner violence, Native American tribes) and suggest alliances with nontraditional partners. The book highlights successful campaigns and model programs that have intersections with public health as well as how elder abuse and public health can and should work on the global stage. It makes the argument that public health brings unique and important competencies to address the problem of elder mistreatment. The book serves as a useful and reliable resource for those studying and teaching and for those involved in healthcare and public health and human and social services programs. Similarly, practitioners, policy and decision makers, advocates, community leaders families, and older adults themselves may benefit from the book.