title: Identifying and handling abused older clients in community care: the perspectives of nurse managers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abuse of older people can lead to an increased need for health care services, and early identification of and intervention with abused, older clients should be a priority.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To gain knowledge about how nurse managers and their staff identify and handle abused older clients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two participants were interviewed, the text transcribed and analysed using manifest qualitative content analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The identification and handling of older victims depended on individual nurses and the involvement of the participants and are based on clinical experience and less on knowledge through professional training and education. The participants emphasised the need for an individualised approach to older victims suspected of abuse. The important role of the nurse managers in the handling of abuse is discussed as well as the need for support of the nurse managers and the staff in community care by increased interdisciplinary collaboration to handle complex cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The identification and handling of abused older clients are a challenging issue for community care, and more knowledge and support are needed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The concept of elder abuse must be clarified, and strategies for its identification and intervention must be developed.
authors.affiliation: Lecturer and Doctoral Student, Faculty of Health Sciences, Vestfold University College, Tønsberg, Norway. astrid.sandmoe@hive.no
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sandmoe
authors.forename: Marit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kirkevold
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration; D004552:Elder Abuse; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006292:Health Priorities; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support