International Developments in Elder Abuse

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International Developments in Elder Abuse

• Bridget Penhale
• University of Sheffield
• WEAAD, Dublin 2008

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International Network for the Prevention of Elder
Abuse (INPEA)

• Established 1997 at IAG World Congress
• Initially representatives from 12 countries
• Regional Representatives
• North America
• Latin America
• Europe
• Africa
• Oceania
• Asia
• Mission Statement and Objectives - Toronto 1998

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Mission statement

• Acknowledging the diversity of culture,
  background and life style of the world population
  the International Network for the Prevention of
  Elder Abuse aims to increase society's ability,
  through international collaboration to recognise
  and respond to the mistreatment of older people
  in whatever setting it occurs, so that the later
  years of life will be free from abuse, neglect
  and exploitation

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INPEA Objectives

• To increase public awareness
• To promote education and training in
  identification, treatment and prevention
• To develop advocacy
• To stimulate research into
• causes
• consequences
• prevalence
• treatment
• prevention

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INPEA and Research Missing Voices

• Partnership with
• WHO Ageing and Life Course
• HelpAge International
• academic institutions
• Study of older people in community and primary
  health care settings in
• Brazil India
• Kenya Argentina
• Lebanon Canada
• Austria Sweden

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INPEA and Education

• National and international representation
• Contributions to WHO and UN reports
• Input into educational materials
• Dissemination, research and advocacy for elder
  abuse issues
• Political advisory roles
• With Pan American Health Organisation
• primary health care manual.

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INPEA at international levels

• Representatives
• 50 National Representatives
• Board Members 2 per region
• Special Observers and Advisers
• Affiliates
• Action on Elder Abuse
• Australian Network for the Prevention of Elder
  Abuse
• Korean Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
• Official funding

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Ongoing Developments

• Global Environmental Scan
• NGO status
• Organiser, symposium, IFA World Congress,
  Montreal, September 2008
• World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, 2008
• Website development http//www.inpea.net

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Elder Abuse overall context

• A Public Health and Human Rights Issue
• Need to promote positive attitudes of ageing
• Older people perceive elder abuse as
• Neglect isolation, abandonment, social exclusion
• Violation of human, legal, medical rights
• Deprivation of choice, decisions, status,
  finances..
• Identified discrimination on basis of age
• Key factors
• gender
• socio-economic status

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European Developments

• 20 countries represented
• North/South East/West
• Over 150 members
• Mainly groups/organisations
• National representatives
• 19 countries

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European perspectives

• Culturally and economically diverse region
• Definitional issues
• 30 year time span
• Legislation and policies
• Intervention strategies
• Research and publications

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European Responses

• In EEA
• France, Italy, Belgium helplines
• Germany model projects
• Ireland national plan
• Norway national centre
• Switzerland assessment tools
• Spain national survey, tools
• New countries early work
• Future research, education, prevention, responses

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Recent research

• Prevalence studies
• Israel
• Spain
• UK
• Germany
• Poland
• ABUEL (EU-funded)

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Europe-wide developments

• WEAAD June 2007
• Expert Hearing September 2007
• EU conference March 2008
• EU communication
• Pan-European Research

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Contact details

• Bridget Penhale
• Centre for Health and Social Care
• University of Sheffield
• Tel [phone]
• Email B.Penhale_at_sheffield.ac.uk