Intimate Partner Violence and Rural Older Women Center for Gerontology at Virginia Tech Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley Funded by grant # R03HD from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD and the NIH Office of the Director (OD)

Community Professionals’ Response

Professionals Likely to Come in Contact with Older Victims of IPV Primary Health Care Providers Victim Mental Health Clinicians Aging Service Providers Clergy and Lay Clergy Domestic Violence Services Legal System Dept Social Services Emergency Medical Staff

Professional Awareness Professional awareness of IPV is limited

Sometimes you speculate that abuse is going on, but that’s not the concern that is typically presented. ~ Social Worker

Women’s Resource Center Professional Silos of Support Adult Protective Services Police Mental Health Counselor Primary Healthcare Provider Clergy & Lay Clergy LTC/Home Provider

Women’s Resource Center Police Adult Protective Services Emergency Healthcare Community Network of Support Mental Health Counselor Primary Healthcare Provider Clergy & Lay Clergy LTC/Home Provider

Challenges Affecting Professional Awareness of IPV Limited data to suggest late life IPV is a problem Lack of routine screening Limited disclosure among providers Limited IPV training opportunities Assumption that clients seek help from primary care providers and faith leaders

Unlike the protocols in place for [a] medical condition, there is no standardization as to how we proceed when we see signs of abuse. We don’t know how to respond. ~ Emergency Medical Technician

Enhancing Professional Response to IPV Provide trainings on IPV in late life Screening protocols & tools Referral services in community Support Outreach activities targeting older women Establishing professional response protocols Communications and collaborations among professionals Normalizing client conversations about IPV