A four part training video, “Responding to Late Life Domestic Violence” is now posted on the age info website. “Responding to Late Life Domestic Violence” is the culmination of a three year VAWA STOP grant that was awarded to the Executive Office of Elder Affairs. The grant project was designed to provide training between Elder Protective Services Agencies, Domestic Violence Agencies and Rape Crisis agencies in order to improve responses to cases of domestic violence and sexual assault involving older women and to foster cross agency collaboration. The feedback from two years of live training was used to develop the concepts for this training film.
While basic clinical principles of interviewing and intervention are illustrated and discussed in this film, it is important to remember that every case needs an individualized approach. This film is best utilized as a means of education in the context of group viewing and discussion within an agency and between collaborating agencies. A Discussion and Resource Guide is being developed to complement this film and will be posted when it becomes available.
This project was supported by subgrant No. 2013- WF- AX -0049 awarded by the state administering office for the STOP Formula Grant Program. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the state or the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.
Responding to Late Life Domestic Violence
Introduction: A brief introduction by former Secretary of Elder Affairs, Ann Hartstein explains the purpose and structure of the training video.
Part One: Interviewing Alleged Victims
Written and narrated by Dr. Holly Ramsey-Klawsnik, researcher and clinician, Klawsnik & Klawsnik Associates. An actual case that was reported to Elder Protective Services has been fictionalized in order to depict portions of an interview by an Elder Protective Services case worker with an alleged victim of domestic violence. Basic clinical principles of interviewing and intervention are illustrated and discussed in this film.
Part Two: Interviewing Alleged Perpetrators
Written and narrated by Dr. David Adams, Co-Director of Emerge. An actual case that was reported to Elder Protective Services has been fictionalized in order to depict an interview by an Elder Protective Services case worker with an alleged perpetrator of domestic violence. Basic clinical principles of interviewing and intervention are illustrated and discussed in this film.
Part Three: A Panel Discussion of Intervention Strategies
A multi-disciplinary panel discussion of the interventions offered by various agencies, as well as the barriers to intervention faced by older woman survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. A member of a support group for older battered women participates and shares her story. (Her appearance has been altered to protect her identity.)