December 2002 Editor’s Note

Animal hoarders make up only a very small percentage of cases brought to the attention of adult protective services and law enforcement, but they are particularly difficult cases to resolve. Although the phenomenon (not unlike vulnerable adult abuse itself) is still vastly under-researched, advice and experience are available...if you know where to find it. To make sure you are among those who can find the information when you need it, AAR is pleased to present a Hoarding 101 article, an annotated literature and resource review, and an interview with a social worker who specializes in working with animal hoarders.

The field of vulnerable adult abuse owes much to its better-known sister fields, domestic violence and child abuse. Yet because borrowers usually rely on other fields’ “conventional wisdom,” we are not always aware of emerging challenges and controversies within those fields. This edition of AAR reports on two recent, prominent New York Times articles that question some fairly well established assumptions in the domestic violence field. AAR will continue to explore controversies and developments in related fields to encourage us to continue to think critically about the models we use.

In October AAR reported on a sex scandal involving Kentucky’s Governor and a nursing home owner. This scandal, while devastating for the residents and families directly involved, has continued to produce a steady stream of (yes, we’ll admit it) entertaining accusations, revelations and developments. Talk about soap opera! But as AAR reported in October, this is also a very high-profile situation that challenges the integrity of Kentucky’s -- and, by extension, all other states’ -- nursing home inspection process. We will therefore continue to follow media coverage of the scandal and bring you summary updates such as the one you’ll find in this issue.

Finally, we want to thank the nearly 200 of you who rushed to sign up to be notified of new editions of AAR. Many of you sent extremely complimentary and encouraging comments along with your subscription requests. We are reprinting some of these comments in this issue. As you read them, please remember that what’s said is also about you, because AAR is about the work you do. Without you, there’d be no reason for us to exist. Thank you for partnering with us.