Elder Abuse

The following is a case of an abused senior. Joyce is an 84-year-old  woman who was married for 52 years. She has three children and lives  with her son. Her husband is deceased but was a prominent attorney. The  family presents an ideal picture of an upper-middle-class family. They  live in a fashionable suburb.

The son has been successful to the extent that he has been made a  full partner in his late father's large law firm. The family is very  active in church, the country club, and various other social  organizations. Joyce was an active member of several charitable, civic,  and social groups, but has not been seen in public for the past several  months.

Joyce's initial call to the crisis center was vague and guarded. She  expressed an interest in inquiring for "another woman" in regard to the  purpose of the center. After she had received information and an  invitation to call back, a number of weeks elapsed. Joyce's second call  occurred after receiving a warning to be hospitalized from her son. This  is a segment of that conversation.

Crisis Worker (CW): (Answering phone.) Crisis center. May I help you?

Joyce: I feel terrible calling you so many times, but I need help right away. (Sobbing.)

Crisis Worker: OK! Tell me what happened.

Joyce: Well, last night he told me he is going to put me in the  hospital. I thought he was really going to take me over there right  then. He seemed so frustrated, but it has been building up for the past  few weeks. I guess it was my fault . . . I complained about being alone  at night. He started raising his voice at me. He said I have to get on  with my life. I got up and went into the bathroom. (Wracked with sobs  for more than a minute. CW waits.) I'm sorry, I just can't seem to keep  control. Lewis has been dead for seven months, but I can't stop crying.

If you were the crisis counselor on the phone with Joyce, what would  you do? What factors would you attend to when assessing this situation  and the client's mental and emotional state? How would her age be  relevant in your assessment and intervention process? What are three  interventions you would use on the phone and what recommendations would  you make for follow-up? Who might you consult with regarding this  situation? What might you do differently if the client was Chinese or  from Puerto Rico?