From SSRN: “Abuse of Elders with Mental Illness” by Prof. James T.R. Jones

Professor James T.R. Jones continues to bring his unique and important perspective to bear in his latest work available on SSRN.  In Abuse of Elders with Mental Illness: Generally an International and Specifically a United States Perspective, he highlights the ways in which various types of mental illness may contribute to unique vulnerability to abuse as the individuals age.  This is a chapter from a new book, International and Comparative Law on the Rights of Older Persons edited by Ralph Ruebner, Teresa Do and Amy Taylor published by Vandeplas Publishing in May 2015. From the SSRN abstract on Professor Jones’ chapter:

Elder abuse is a major international problem, and scandal.  It is so important that both the United Nations (“UN”) and the World Health Organization (“WHO”) have focused on it.  Elder abuse occurs in a variety of ways.  It can be physical abuse due to either active injury or passive neglect.  It can be psychological abuse through fear and intimidation.  It can be financial abuse due to theft or fraud.  Abusers can be strangers; healthcare workers, too often in nursing home settings; and spouses, partners, children, grandchildren, or other relatives.  Abusers may be motivated by cruelty, laziness, or greed for quick profit or a premature inheritance.

While all elders can be abused, those with mental illness are particularly vulnerable.  This group can encompass both those with longstanding mental illnesses such as major depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder and those psychiatrically debilitated by age, notably including those who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.  Victims may be living in private residential settings both alone and with family or friends or in institutions such as nursing homes.

This chapter gives a brief overview of elder abuse and then focuses on the victim population of those vulnerable because of mental illness and how they face abuse.  It discusses possible ways to reduce the incidence of abuse of those with psychiatric conditions including, among other things, mandatory abuse reporting and enhanced focus on the problem by government, in particular law enforcement, authorities and primary care and mental health care providers.

The book is another important product from John Marshall Law’s summer 2014 forum examining the rights of older persons, leading to the summer’ “Chicago Declaration on the Rights of Older Persons” presented before the United Nations’ working session on aging.