Elder Justice, Ageism, and Elder Abuse Drawing from her book of the same title, Lisa describes how "aging policy" has promoted social justice and human rights and where it has fallen short. She presents her "elder justice agenda," which offers a vision for a more just society for older adults and people of all ages.
Undue Influence in Elder Abuse Just as "I know it when I see it" has been used as a threshold test for pornography, so too has it been used to describe the intuitive sense that something's wrong when it comes to undue influence. This session describes how undue influence has been addressed by the legal and psychology professions to explain how powerful individuals induce the less powerful to do things they would not have done otherwise and how it can be undone.
Elder Abuse Prevention: Emerging Trends and Promising Strategies Drawing from over thirty years in the field of elder abuse prevention, Lisa describes major trends in research, policy, and practice. These range from the early framing of elder abuse as a medical syndrome to today's emphasis on abuse as a matter of social justice and individual rights. She describes innovations in public policy, public awareness, and person-centered services.
Ageism: "Ism" or Not Children are demanding the right to be safe in school, women are reasserting their reproductive rights, and advocacy for people of color, immigrants, and religious minorities has taken on greater urgency. But in this era of heightened attention to social justice, one voice is conspicuously missing—the voice of older adults. This presentation addresses:
Why ageism has failed to gain the traction of other "isms."
The role of ageism in America's lax response to elder abuse, neglect in nursing homes, and exploitation by guardians and scammers.
The cumulative impact of injustices over the life course that shortens lives and contributes to poverty and disability in old age.
It's Not Just About Exercise: Public Health and Elder Justice Adopting elder justice begins by rejecting the narrative that old age is a disease that needs to be cured, which has led to an over- reliance on costly medical treatment and institutional care, and has resulted in glaring health disparities. Elder justice requires approaches that reflect public health values and principles and that seek to achieve health equity, optimal functional capacity, and home and community based long term care. This session describes public health principles and methods and how they apply to elder justice.
Elder Justice on the Global Stage Advocates in the U.S. have much to gain from participating in the systematic, deliberative, and inclusive processes that the United Nations and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have applied to aging, elder rights, and elder abuse prevention. This includes the UN's tripartite approach to age as a matter of human rights, public health, and social development, which offers diverse strategies, resources, and opportunities. Dynamic and proactive strategies like "mainstreaming" aging and affirmative action can provide direction in confronting current, emergent, and yet to be revealed challenges. UN-produced, supported, or inspired research, reports, and treaties have informed policy development and practice. International organizations offer models and strategies for enlisting the public's participation in setting goals, tracking progress, marking milestones, and holding policymakers accountable for making good on promises. Engaging in international initiatives further challenges American advocates to weigh alternatives and recognize their own biases. This session describes international initiatives, including thecreation of a universal convention (a type of treaty) for the rights of older people."
Selected Past Events
United States
Exploring Restorative Justice Approaches to Prevent Elder Abuse. Workshop at the 8th National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ) Conference in Chicago. Co-led by Kay Pranis, international leader in restorative justice and author of the seminal Little Book of Circle Processes: A New/Old Approach to Peacemaking. (July 8, 2022).
Upping our Game: Transforming APS Through State Advocacy Coalitions. Workshop at 31st Annual National Adult Protective Services Association Conference. Nov 16, 2020.
Bringing Restorative Justice to Elder Abuse: A Dialogue. At the Interdisciplinary Approaches to Elder Abuse: Unlocking the Potential of Restorative Justice virtual conference hosted by Syracuse University College of Law. Oct. 16, 2020.
Toward a More Just, Less Ageist Society: An Elder Justice Agenda. Legal Assistance for Seniors’ Fall Webinar Series on Elder Abuse. September 15, 2020.
An Agenda for Elder Justice. The Commonwealth Club. July 22, 2020. Recordings of the event are available on YouTube.
Undoing Undue Influence. Keynote address at the Enhanced Multidisciplinary Team Conference sponsored by the Upstate Elder Abuse Center at Lifespan and the Weill Cornell Medicine/New York City Elder Abuse Center. September, 18, 2019.
In Pursuit of Elder Justice: One Advocate's 35-year Journey." Keynote address at the Montgomery County Elder Access to Justice Roundtable Annual Conference. Blue Bell, PA. June, 2019.
Toward Elder Justice: A Policy Agenda. Keynote address at the KNOW ABUSE – REPORT ABUSE – An Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Conference. Area IV (California) Area Agency on Aging. May, 2019.
Building a National Elder Justice Movement State by State. Panel moderator and panelist at the American Society on Aging’s 2018 Annual Conference. March, 2018.
Dynamics of Financial Abuse in Later Life. Keynote speaker for Preventing Financial Abuse of Seniors, 25th Annual Adult Abuse Prevention Conference sponsored by the San Luis Obispo Adult Abuse Prevention Council and Financial Abuse Specialist Team. May, 2017.
Elder Justice: Leveling the Field for Our Mothers and Grandmothers. Panelist at Aging, Women and Poverty in California Forum hosted by the California Commission on Aging, the California Women's Law Center, and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. March, 2016.
Undue Influence: Detection and Intervention. Presentation at the World Congress of Adult Guardianship. Arlington, Virginia. May, 2014.
International
Adult Abuse and Victims with Mental Incapacity. Keynote address at the National Family Violence Networking Symposium sponsored by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSFD) and the Singapore Police Force; and “Preventing Abuse Against Adults with Mental Incapacity: Assessment and Intervention,” a 2-day, skills-building workshop. (2014).
Plenary address at the Potential and Risk Factors of Family Caregiving International Workshop sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. Berlin, Germany. (2010).
Keynote address at the Honouring Elder Rights: Preventing Elder Abuse conference sponsored by the Waterloo Region Committee on Elder Abuse and the Elder Abuse Response Team. Waterloo, Ontario. (2010).
Elder Abuse Prevention in the United States: Trends in Policy and Practice at the fourth World Elder Abuse Awareness Day event, sponsored by the Korean Information Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse. Buson, Korea. (2009).
Elder Abuse Prevention in the United States: Trends in Policy and Practice at the Elderly abuse and Suicide in Chungnam conference, sponsored by the Chungnam Women’s Policy Development Institute. Daejeon, Korea. (2009).