Regulatory Compliance
70th AHCA/NCAL Convention and Expo
Tovah Kasdin, JD
ElderSAFE Center Director
Charles E. Smith Life Communities
Disclosure: Nothing to Disclose
Elder abuse affects nearly 5 million older adults every year in the United States, resulting billions of dollars in losses due to financial exploitation. It is a pervasive yet under-reported problem. Long term care and assisted living providers can protect the vulnerable adults they serve who might be targets of elder abuse. Established in 2014, the ElderSAFE Center is the first of its kind in the Washington, DC metropolitan area to provide safe temporary shelter to older adults experiencing elder abuse, to coordinate and provide community referrals, and to increase public awareness. Our center provides safe shelter education for staff and community partners, and advancements of state legislation to better protect residents and create positive change in the larger community. Our program was recently awarded the 2018 Organizational Achievement Award by the Maryland Gerontological Association. This workshop will focus on the ElderSAFE Center’s innovative efforts to be an effective resource in the intervention and prevention of elder abuse in the areas of resident services, training, and system improvements. Highlights will include best practices to help facilities identify, respond to, and prevent elder abuse; compliance with mandatory reporting, safe discharge, and other resident protections; and multidisciplinary community partnerships to improve coordination and response to elder abuse.