UCI gets $1 million to combat elder abuse in adults with dementia

ORANGE, Calif., Oct. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- University of California, Irvine's Program in Geriatrics has received a three-year, $1 million grant from the U.S. Administration on Aging to combat elder abuse. The funding is part of a major new federal initiative to test promising community-based elder abuse prevention practices. U.S. Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced five recipients of grants for the pilot program Oct. 10 at a meeting of the Elder Justice Coordinating Council in Washington, D.C. UC Irvine will implement its approach to preventing the abuse of people with dementia, called Take AIM Against Elder Abuse.

Testifying before the council, Dr. Laura Mosqueda, chair of UC Irvine's Department of Family Medicine, director of its geriatrics program and Ronald Reagan Chair in Geriatrics, said: "Adults with dementia are particularly vulnerable to abuse. The sad fact is that about one of every two people with dementia is abused or neglected. With our rapidly aging population, combined with the fact that one of every two people over 85 is diagnosed with dementia, this impacts a huge number of individuals and those who love them."

"This grant allows us to develop and evaluate a new model to reduce the risk of elder abuse," Mosqueda said.

The UCI geriatrics program's Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse & Neglect is a pioneer in efforts to raise awareness and reduce the incidence of elder abuse. A national and international model, it provides technical assistance, multidisciplinary training, research and policy briefs. The center is also a "living laboratory" of innovative approaches to eliminate the abuse, neglect, mistreatment and exploitation of seniors.

UCI's Program in Geriatrics is ranked among the top 50 in the country by U.S. News & World Report. In September 2011, the U.S. Administration on Aging designated it as the National Center on Elder Abuse, a clearinghouse for practical information supporting federal, state and local work to prevent, identify and effectively respond to elder abuse.

About the University of California, Irvine:
Founded in 1965, UCI is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UCI is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system, with nearly 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,000 staff. Orange County's second-largest employer, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $4 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.

SOURCE University of California, Irvine

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