Clearinghouse on Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly (CANE) Goes Online

In an important step toward making elder abuse reference works and articles more available to those who need them, the Clearinghouse for Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly (CANE) has made it possible to search its holdings via its website at http://db.rdms.udel.edu:8080/CANE/index.jsp.

CANE was founded at the University of Delaware in 1986 by Karen Stein and Suzanne Steinmetz to provide a searchable database and reference center devoted to articles and reports on elder abuse. CANE’s primary initial and subsequent funding has been from the US Administration on Aging; in recent years, CANE has been part of the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA).

When appropriate materials are sent to or found by CANE, staff prepares bibliographic data that includes the author/s, title, journal or book the article appeared in, date of publication, and abstract and keywords. The material is also given a file number, and the original publication filed.

Until a few months ago, CANE users had to pay CANE staff a small fee to search the database to create an annotated bibliography of holdings that might be relevant to the user’s needs. The user could then try to find local copies of the materials she or he wanted, or could pay CANE $ .20 per page to make and mail one photocopy of its file copy of the document or documents the user wanted to see.

Going online has shortened the processing time and cost for many users, in that about one-third of CANE’s existing database of more than 4500 records can now be searched directly by the user. Additional advantages of being online is that users can more easily and immediately experiment with narrowing or changing their search parameters to get bibliographic data on materials that more closely meet their needs. Once these bibliographies are developed, however, users still must locate their own copies of the desired documents (although an increasing number of CANE holdings reference a website where the original document can be downloaded), or purchase copies from CANE.

Searching the database via the web is still not as easy as it could be. Most importantly, because of its size and the University of Delaware’s technological limits, the database has been broken into three parts: materials published in the current calendar year, materials published from one to five years ago, and materials published from six to ten years ago. What this means is that unless you are looking for a specific article and know what year it was published, you must conduct the same search of the database up to three different times. Luckily, this is not too difficult if you remember to use your browser’s “back” button so that you do not need to reenter all the search parameters, just change which database is checked.

Another drawback of the website is that there is still no easy way to browse through a list of CANE’s newest additions. Although many people can meet their needs through carefully-worded searches, those of us who like to review all additions to make sure we haven’t missed any new or old-but-newly-cataloged materials have no way to do so. Users can check CANE’s “What’s New” section to see a couple of selected highlights. You may also be able to get a list of recent acquisitions from the National Center on Elder Abuse (202/898-2586; ncea@nasua.org), which receives quarterly updates from CANE. You can also browse the entire contents of the three (current) databases, by entering no words in the search feature. At press time, there were only 9 articles published in 2003 (making review of all of them simple), 860 in the 1998-2002 database, and 741 in the 1997-1993 database.

AAR has selected the following recently-acquired-by-CANE articles as being of potential interest to a large number of its readers. AAR will review many of these articles in more detail in future editions. In the meantime, you may see further details on any item by searching for it on the CANE website and clicking the file number to get the abstract. You may also order a copy of the full document from CANE; multiply the digits following the dash in the file number (i.e., the “9” in P5024-9) by 20 cents and send that amount plus an explicit request to:

Clearinghouse on Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly
University of Delaware
Dept. of Consumer Studies
Alison Hall West -- Room 211
Newark, DE 19716
302-831-3525

Assessment Tools

File No: J4116-8
Fulmer, T., Paveza, G., Abraham, I., Fairchild, S.
Elder Neglect Assessment in the Emergency Room
Journal of Emergency Nursing
Vol. 26 No. 5 p436-p443 October 2000
Includes the Elder Assessment Instrument used in a Florida pilot study.

File No: P5063-27
Fulmer, T.
Elder Mistreatment
Annual Review of Nursing Research
Vol. 20 p369-p395 2002
Reviews existing research on elder mistreatment, including 34 studies from nursing and related fields. A chart that summarizes the chief characteristics and properties of elder mistreatment measures such as the Conflict Tactic Scale and The QUALCARE Scale is included.

File No: P5100-11
Schofield, M & Mishra, G.
Validity of Self-Report Screening Scales for Elder Abuse: Women’s Health Australia Study
The Gerontologist
Vol. 43 No. 1 p110-p120 2003
Studies the reliability and validity of the Vulnerability to Abuse Screening Scale (VASS). Also includes a review of existing elder abuse screening tools.

History of Adult Abuse Services and Efforts

File No: A95-4
Penhale, B.
International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
Journal of Adult Protection
Vol. 4 No. 2 p28-p31 2002
This article provides a history of the development of the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) since its inception in 1997. Affiliations with the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Network of Older Volunteers, and the U.N. International Institute on Aging are highlighted along with international research efforts.

Interventions

File No: P5101-10
Bergeron, L.R.
Family Preservation: An Unidentified Approach in Elder Abuse Protection
Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services
Vol. 83 No. 5/6 p547-p556 2002

File No. N4909-74
Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WCADV), in collaboration with the Elder Law Center of the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups
Financial Safety Planning for Older Women
Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence
1998

File No. N4911-21
Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WCADV), National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL)
Safety Planning: A Guide for Individuals with Physical Disabilities
Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence
2000

Mandatory Reporting

File No: P5051-8
West, K., Bledsoe, L., Jenkins, J., & Nora, L.
The Mandatory Reporting of Adult Victims of Violence: Perspectives From the Field
Kentucky Law Journal
2001-2002
Findings of a study of both health care professionals and victims show that 20 of 24 female victims in Kentucky said health care professionals should report incidents of family violence.

Prosecution of Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation

File No. J4117-6
Kapp, M.
Criminal and Civil Liability of Physicians for Institutional Elder Abuse and Neglect
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
Vol. 3 No. 2 pS76-S81 March-April 2002

File No: P5102-21
Payne B., Berg, B. & Toussaint, J.
The Police Response to the Criminalization of Elder Abuse -- An Exploratory Study
Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management
Vol. 24 No. 4 p605-p625 2001
Survey results of 119 police chiefs from Alabama, California, Colorado and New York on how their departments handled allegations of elder abuse, and what difficulties they experience when implementing new policies.

File No: P5038-28
Dreher, K.
Note: Enforcement of Standards of Care in the Long-Term Care Industry: How Far Have We Come and Where Do We Go from Here?
The Elder Law Journal
2002
Includes the current status and shortcomings of state and federal initiatives and private causes of action (malpractice liability, negligence, res ipsa loquitur and negligence per se).

File No: P5052-37
Phan, J.
The Graying of America: Protecting Nursing Home Residents by Allowing Regulatory and Criminal Statutes to Establish Standards of Care in Private Negligence Actions
Houston Journal of Health Law and Policy
2002
Includes an overview of the history of recognition of elder abuse in the U.S., particularly in the nursing home industry. After reviewing a history of pertinent legislation, the author explores legal remedies for victims of institutional abuse and neglect, including negligence per se and regulatory and administrative sanctions. Discussion follows regarding the duty owed to residents, breach of duty, the establishment of standards of care (by case law, statutes incorporated into contracts, experts, etc.), causation and damages. Consideration of the distinction between negligence per se and ordinary negligence is provided. Case law from California, Florida and Arizona is highlighted.

Research Agendas

File No: P5001-3
Voelker, R.
Elder Abuse and Neglect a New Research Topic
Journal of the American Medical Association
Vol. 288 No. 18 p2254-p2256 November 2002
This brief news update reviews recent efforts to develop national research initiatives on elder abuse. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) will be awarding grants to study the extent of mistreatment and to identify effective interventions. Interdisciplinary team approaches to elder abuse, adult protective services, the role of physicians, and global concerns are among issues described.

Risk Factors for Abuse

File No: P5045-10
Williamson, G., Shaffer, D., and The Family Relationships in Late Life Project
Relationship Quality and Potentially Harmful Behaviors by Spousal Caregivers: How We Were Then, How We Are Now
Psychology and Aging
Vol. 16 No. 2 p217-p226 2001
A study of 144 spousal caregivers suggests that caregivers who were in highly communal (partners concerned about or attentive to each others’ needs) relationships were less likely to become depressed and, in turn, less likely to treat care recipients in potentially harmful ways.

State-Specific Information

Multiple file numbers
Researchers at The University of Iowa Department of Family Medicine
Summary of the State Elder Abuse Questionnaire for [at least 44 states available] -- A Final Report
Funded by the Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
February 2002
The overall purpose of this University of Iowa-led project was “to evaluate the impact of state APS legislation on the implementation of the investigative system for elder abuse. One of the specific aims was to differentiate investigative structure and investigative characteristics at the reporting district level.”

Training Allied Professionals

File No: L4394-9
Woodtli, M. & Breslin, E.
Violence-Related Content in the Nursing Curriculum: A Follow-Up National Survey
Journal of Nursing Education
Vol. 41 No. 8 p340-p348 August 2002
1999 study found 45% of baccalaureate nursing programs presented elder abuse content for two to four classroom hours, and 46% presented it for one hour.

File No: F3092-1
Staff
Geriatric Management -- Signs of Abuse
Journal of the American Chiropractic Association
Vol. 39 No. 4 p 29 April 2002
1-page tip sheet specifically for chiropractors includes list of physical, behavioral, social and financial indicators of elder abuse and neglect.

File No: A68-12
Tood, C.
Practitioners Must Consider Roles as Investigators, Reporters
ED Legal Letter
Vol. 13 No. 5 p49-p60 May 2002
A comprehensive overview of the roles emergency physicians and health care professionals play when treating (suspected) victims of abuse. Specifics include the handling of forensic evidence (including chain of custody) and documentation, including the recording of victims’ statements.

File No: N4912-8
Brandl, B. & Horan, D.
Domestic Violence in Later Life: An Overview for Health Care Providers
Women and Health
Vol. 35 No. 2/3 p41-p54 2002
Includes discussions of competency, documentation (written and photographic), confidentiality, safety planning, referral and reporting, and support. Also includes what NOT to do.

File No: N4913-5
Harrell, R. et al.
How Geriatricians Identify Elder Abuse and Neglect
The American Journal of Medical Sciences
Vol. 323 No. 1 p34-p38 January 2002

File No: N3986-7
Richardson, B., Kitchen, G., & Livingston, G.
The Effect of Education on Knowledge and Management of Elder Abuse: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Age and Ageing
Vol. 31 p335-p341 2002
This study compares the effectiveness of educational experience versus reading educational materials in improving the identification and management of elder abuse.

Training Curricula

File No: N4924-23
Southwestern Connecticut Agency on Aging, in conjunction with State of Connecticut Department of Social Services
Law Enforcement Response to the Needs of Elderly Persons
Southwestern Connecticut Agency on Aging, in conjunction with State of Connecticut Department of Social Services
2002
Curriculum (for four-hour training) and field guide from Connecticut pilot project.

File No: M31-00
Adult Protection Coordination Council Training Manual for the Investigation of Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of the Elderly and Other Vulnerable Adults in South Carolina
April 2000
This manual was designed to incorporate techniques that are useful to law enforcement and social service agencies during the initial investigation of an allegation of abuse, neglect or exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

Types of Abuse

File No: N4916-4
FitzGerald, G.
A Bitter Pill
Action Points
Issue 13 p3-p6 July/August 2002
Looks at the abuse and misuse of medication in care homes.