ABSTRACT
Elder mistreatment (EM) is a complex problem, with response and prevention requiring contributions from professionals from many disciplines. Community-based multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) that conduct meetings to discuss challenging cases and coordinate services are a common strategy to ensure effective collaboration. Though they play an important role in EM identification, intervention, and prevention, hospitals and hospital-based healthcare professionals have been particularly difficult to engage in MDTs. Two hospitals in different communities recently launched Emergency Department (ED)/hospital-based response teams to consult in cases of potential EM, and both participate in MDTs. We explored similarities and differences between the MDTs in these communities including in the role of the ED/hospital-based response team. The comparison demonstrates both core common features as well as large variations. These differences reflect different circumstances in the models on which they were based, on MDT development in these communities, available resources and infrastructure, and the ED/hospital program’s role.
Acknowledgments
Attendees at the September 28-29, 2022 meeting included authors of this manuscript and: Sarah Cox, Jason Hayes, and Avery Ornstein. The authors wish to acknowledge the contributions of their colleagues.
The Vulnerable Elder Protection Team wishes to thank the New York Office of Victim Services (OVS), and the Vulnerable Elder Services, Protection, and Advocacy Team (VESPA) wishes to thank the State of Colorado Office for Victims Programs (OVP).
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Data availability statement
There is no available data to share.
Notes
1. Please refer to the overview article introducing this special issue of the Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, “ED/Hospital-Based Programs Responding to Elder Mistreatment: Developing Consensus about An Idea Whose Time has Come,” for more information about this meeting/consensus conference.