Elder Abuse Forensic Centers

Abstract

Elder abuse forensic centers present a new model of multidisciplinary collaboration on elder abuse cases. The “clients” of a forensic center are Adult Protective Services (APS), law enforcement, and the Long-term Care Ombudsman. Centers take the basic multidisciplinary team model and add a geriatrician and a psychologist. Additionally, forensic center team members make home visits with APS and others for the purposes of conducting psychological or medical evaluations, lessening the burden of multiple interviews for the alleged abuse victims, and gathering evidence for possible prosecution. The challenges and successes of the four California forensic center teams are discussed.

Keywords:

• elder abuse
• forensic center
• forensic science
• geriatrician
• multidisciplinary team
• prosecution
• psychologist

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the following for their contributions: Tom Collins, RN; Paul Greenwood, Esq.; and Sylvia Guzman.

Notes

1. For more information refer to Creating an Elder Abuse Forensic Center: Philosophy into Action. Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse and Neglect, University of California, Irvine, 2008. http://www.centeronelderabuse.org