To stay informed about Life Long Justice projects, send us an email at LifeLongJustice@appleseednetwork.org.
Life Long Justice pursues effective approaches to increase the safety and wellbeing of older people through strategically leveraging evidence, experience, expertise and evaluation. By building bridges to connect the work, ideas and priorities of practitioners, researchers and policy makers, LLJ advances elder justice. Like other Appleseed initiatives, LLJ translates rights into reality and vision into practice.
The Problem
A Few Numbers: We have spent billions to lengthen life, and more older people than ever before live active, fulfilling lives. But recent research gives reason for concern:
The Nature of Elder Abuse: Elder abuse includes abuse, neglect and financial exploitation. It occurs in homes and facilities; cuts across all demographic groups; and causes untold suffering and cost, not just for its victims, but also for those who care about and for them. Victims often live their last years--impoverished, injured, neglected and in fear--with little effective assistance, protection or attention from any system.
The Consequences of Elder Abuse: Victims of elder abuse suffer more injuries and illnesses and are three times more likely to die sooner than non-victims. In addition to depleting the resources of already stressed individuals and families, elder abuse costs taxpayers billions of dollars annually in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal, state and local program expenditures.
The Demographic and Fiscal Imperatives: We are at the early stage of a hidden epidemic. As 77 million baby boomers age and caregiving shortages grow more acute, the problem will grow. Wealth and fame do not provide immunity, as the plight of Mickey Rooney and Brooke Astor show. A 2011 General Accountability Office (GAO) report documents the need for more funding and federal leadership. Yet, our response to elder abuse lags 40 years behind child abuse and 20 years behind domestic violence.
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Emerging Models For Collaboration
As is often the case, some of the most effective and innovative solutions are generated in the field. The University of California, Irvine, Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse, the affiliated Elder Abuse Forensic Center and the New York City Elder Abuse Center exemplify such local innovative collaborations that have advanced research, policy and practice, and have come to serve as national models. Similarly, Life Long Justice grew out of a series of conversations among national practitioners, researchers and policy experts with diverse experience and expertise.
Examples of Life Long Justice work
Congressional Testimony
LLJ director MT Connolly testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging on why we need an Office of Elder Justice (as proposed in the Elder Abuse Victims Act (H. R. 2564 and S. 462)) and about the dearth of federal leadership, funding and implementation of existing laws to promote elder justice.
Connolly also presented a Statement to the Congressional Victims’ Rights Caucus about the high human and fiscal cost of elder abuse.
Elder Justice Legislative Map
The Leg Map charts federal elder justice provisions in the Elder Justice Act (EJA), the Older Americans Act and the Violence Against Women Act, tracking appropriations, implementation, and type of provision. It can be sorted by field and includes links to the legislative language and other information. (The Leg Map was created with pro bono partner Hogan Lovells.)
Adult Protective Services (APS) Priorities for Data Collection and EJA Implementation
A nationwide survey of APS administrators reveals their priorities for EJA implementation, data collection practices, and identifies challenges. (Pro bono partners Edgeworth Economics and individual volunteers assisted with the APS survey project.)
Recommendations for Older Americans Act Reauthorization
LLJ convened leading elder justice experts to facilitate discussions & develop recommendations to transmit to Assistant Secretary Kathy Greenlee.
Elder Competency Project
Appleseed is providing leadership on elder justice in the field and within the network of Appleseed Centers. As an initial example, Georgia Appleseed and other partners took the lead on a project to advance policy relating to older people who could not make medical decisions on their own behalf, but for whom there was no other person to do so.
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