Elder Abuse Response is a UK adult protection helpline for older people which provides a valuable opportunity for monitoring interest in and concerns regarding abuse of older people. This paper provides a descriptive analysis of 1,421 calls to the helpline between April 1997 and March 1999 alleging abuse. The analysis notes types of abuse, age and gender of the victim; gender and relationship of the alleged perpetrator to the victim; and where the abuse was said to have occurred. It discusses possible next steps within the UK for researchers, service planners and providers as a result of the findings in the context of government policy developments.

No abstract

Objective: In the United States, loneliness is increasingly becoming a public health crisis. Individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) report loneliness at rates much higher than the general population. In this secondary data analysis, we examine how subjective and objective social isolation influence perceptions of mental health and well-being. Method: Using a cross-sectional design, we conducted a multivariate hierarchical regression analysis to determine the unique influence both subjective and objective isolation had on perceptions of mental health and well-being in adults with SMI. Results: Rates of reported loneliness in those with SMI was consistent with the literature. Increased perceptions of loneliness were found to be a significant predictor of decreased self-report mental health rating and increased frequency of bothersome symptoms. Increased perceptions of social support were also a significant predictor in increased self-report mental health rating and frequency of bothersome symptoms. Conclusion and Implications for practice: For social workers and providers of services to individuals with SMI, it is important to understand the prevalence of loneliness in the population. It is also critical to provide those with SMI social support and inclusion interventions that aim to increase perceptions of mental well-being. Additionally, the distinction between subjective and objective social isolation provides evaluators of social support interventions a more accurate definition from which to measure. Impact and ImplicationsThis study suggests that peer support programs impact feelings of loneliness among participants, and less loneliness was related to more favorable mental health self-assessments. Additionally, mental health self-assessments were not directly impacted by peer services alone. The findings demonstrate the benefit of peer support programs and further our understanding of the programs effect on loneliness and mental health.

Black trans people frequently deal with the violent consequences of systemic erasure. Particularly, Black trans people experience structural racism and oppression that socially and economically isolates them, creating conditions for a unique experience of loneliness. In this essay, I engage queer of color critique to explore structural forces that work together to systematically and violently exclude Black trans people. The purpose of this conceptual piece is to advance loneliness theory to include structural isolation to explain manifestations of loneliness due to discrimination and oppression of Black trans people. I discuss my motivations and methods to engage in this work, my theoretical framework, followed by a critique of the theoretical underpinnings of loneliness research. Later, I identify and define three manifestations of structural isolation—anti-Black racism, cisheterosexism, and neoliberalism. Then, I discuss how these forces work together to produce structural isolation among Black trans people and how that isolation places them at risk for loneliness. I conclude this article with a discussion on how queer of color critique provides a framework for a more inclusive analysis of race, gender, and class in social work studies. Finally, I put forward my perception of the critical implications for social work.

No abstract