Using technology to fight elder abuse: Developing and implementing interactive tools to raise awareness and change behavior

Introduction: The phenomenon of elder abuse, including mistreatment, neglect, and exploitation, is an underreported and growing problem. An estimated 11% of U.S. elders experience some form of abuse or neglect, yet only one out of every 14 cases of elder abuse is reported. With a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant and the support of other major funders, The Jewish Home (TJH) of Fairfield, Connecticut started the Center for Elder Abuse Prevention in 2008 to protect and advocate for vulnerable elders; however, since elders are often isolated, there is a need for scalable, cost-effective tools to increase awareness and enable rapid recognition and reporting of incidents of abuse. Methods: Key-informant interviews will be conducted with experts on elder abuse to assess barriers to recognizing and reporting, including an analysis of the systematic governmental process for reporting and responding to reports, to identify opportunities for potential intervention. Interviews with technology and social media experts will aim to determine the components of the best possible interactive tool to combat these barriers. Existing models of interactive tools for other sensitive health issues, such as HIV and child safety, will also be reviewed. Results & Conclusions: Recommendations will identify the components necessary for innovative, evidence-based use of interactive technological tools for TJH to implement in collaboration with appropriate experts. Such tools will have the capacity to improve awareness about elder abuse, and equip the appropriate professionals and community members with the skills to recognize and report its incidence.