Older Women's Perceptions of Elder Maltreatment and Ethical Dilemmas in Adult Protective Services: A Cross-Cultural, Exploratory Study

Abstract

In this study, older African American, Latina, and Caucasian women from varying socioeconomic backgrounds participated in eight focus groups that examined their perceptions of elder maltreatment and three ethical dilemmas within adult protective service work: mandatory reporting, involuntary protective services, and criminalization of elder maltreatment. Participants espoused a broad and inclusive view of elder maltreatment. In responding to illustrative case scenarios, participants strongly favored protection over freedom by supporting mandatory reporting and involuntary protective services. Criminalization of elder maltreatment also was supported. This article presents results of each scenario and broad themes across the study, with attention paid to areas of consistency and difference across ethnicity and socioeconomic categories.

KEYWORDS:

• elder abuse
• elder neglect
• ethical dilemmas
• elder mistreatment
• elder maltreatment
• public perceptions
• mandatory reporting
• involuntary protective services
• criminalization
• culture
• socioeconomic status
• ethnicity

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This study was supported with funds from the NIMH CARTA fellowship program (MH074500) and the Cleveland Consortium for Abuse Prevention. The first author is greatly indebted to the faculty and fellows of the postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California San Francisco for their assistance with various drafts of this article. The first author also wishes to thank Carol Dayton, MSW, and Lisa Nerenberg, MSW, MPH, for their assistance with the policy recommendations presented within this article, and Georgia Anetzberger, PhD, for her guidance in planning this study.