The Archstone Foundation Elder Abuse and Neglect Initiative: outcomes and lessons learned in three years from 2006 to 2008.

An independent evaluation of the Archstone Foundation Elder Abuse and Neglect Initiative was conducted to identify major outcomes and lessons learned collectively by 20 funded projects, as well as to document innovative program models for dissemination. Data from the first three years of this initiative show these projects have been productive and have had a measurable impact on services for elder abuse and neglect. Major lessons learned address issues in recruiting, engaging, and maintaining active involvement of diverse stakeholders, as well as innovative and effective models of education, training, and direct services for elder abuse and neglect.

Changing systems to address elder abuse: examples from aging services, the courts, the long-term care ombudsman, and the faith community.

The authors describe their use of systems change as a means of ameliorating elder abuse. After assessing the needs of their target audiences, projects developed a variety of strategies. These include disseminating promising practices in courts, creating Elder Law Clinics to assist with conservatorships, educating older adults about predatory mortgage lending, building a new response system for complaints of abuse and neglect in unlicensed care facilities, and convening clergy and lay leader groups to learn how faith communities can make a difference in elder abuse and neglect. The authors share tips on replicating their work, describing barriers to implementation and possible solutions.