Elder Abuse

Abstract

SUMMARY Nurses play pivotal roles in all aspects of elder abuse, from detection to resolution. Nurses are among the categories of mandatory reporters most frequently identified in elder abuse reporting and protective service laws, and they are the health care professionals who most often assume major responsibilities in assessing elder abuse and neglect situations. Nurses intervene in elder abuse situations as individual health care providers or as part of a multidisciplinary team. In acute and long-term care settings, nurses often work with caregivers to implement appropriate discharge plans, with the intent of eliminating risks for elder abuse. This article describes the nurse's role in addressing elder abuse, and then dramatically illustrates it with the three case studies under review.