NO COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE

Call for US government to better protect the elderly

By Dr. Tim Sandle
Published October 5, 2024

File photo: A therapy dog visiting an elderly man in a nursing home. — © Karen Graham

A researcher is pushing ahead for a new policy framework to help the aging population in the U.S. This includes providing additional state support and preventing societal abuse of older people.

The director of the Center for Gerontology and professor of human development and human science, Pamela Teaster has advocated for older adults and vulnerable populations, ensuring that they are protected from abuse by those around them, for more than 20 years.

In 2023 Teaster began a new aspect of this work as a part of the Health and Aging Policy Fellowship, a competitive year-long national programme based in Washington, D.C.

Fellows are selected each year through a national competition based on their commitment to health and aging issues, leadership potential, and interest in impacting policy. Teaster was chosen as a 2023-24 non-residential fellow — meaning she is not located in Washington, D.C. — and has been placed with the Administration for Community Living. Teaster will be working with the administration through September and will make occasional trips to the capital as needed.

Teaster’s work comes at a time when the population of U.S. citizens aged 65 and older is growing rapidly and the various abuses of the population are very high.

According to the National Council on Aging, up to 5 million older people are abused every year and the annual loss by victims of financial abuse is estimated to be at least $36.5 billion. Elder abuse includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse; exploitation; neglect; and abandonment.

Teaster’s work in this area began in 1997. She has conducted extensive research on elder abuse and policy, authored seven books and hundreds of peer-reviewed articles, reports, and book chapters while also playing a significant role in creating legislation for public guardianship programs in Virginia.

Teaster’s ongoing research focuses on several areas, including the mistreatment of older adults and vulnerable populations, end-of-life decision-making, public policy and affairs, ethical treatment, human rights issues, financial exploitation, and public and private guardianship.

Throughout the new fellowship, Teaster hopes to gain a deeper understanding of policies as they are applied to various contexts along with learning better methods to develop and implement programs and policies that are beneficial to elderly and vulnerable populations.