Question
Are Social Workers Mandated Reporters of Elder Abuse?
Answer
Social workers are mandated reporters of child abuse in all 50 States, although this is not true for elder abuse. Therefore, I encourage you to review your state guidelines on mandatory reporting to determine what is appropriate for your state. Considering the variations in state regulation of mandatory reporting of elder abuse, the annual incident of elder abuse is estimated to be anywhere between two to 10% with only about one in 15 cases reported to authorities which means that many elderly individuals are abused annually yet the abuse goes unreported.
When working with the elderly, the best practice is to ask elderly clients about abuse, to observe them for signs of abuse, and to be mindful of the risk factors that put elderly clients at a greater risk of abuse, such as dementia. In addition, social workers should assess caregiver factors such as substance abuse and untreated mental illness, which also put elderly individuals at a greater risk of being abused by their caregivers. Last, it is important to assess elderly individuals for prior abuse and to monitor them for social and/or physical isolation.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the webinar, Intimate Partner Violence: The Basics, presented by Katrinna M. Matthews, DSW, MEd, LAPSW.
