Protecting Our Elders: An Interfaith Coalition to Address Elder Abuse

With baby boomers coming of age, the increasing life span of elders, and the unstable economic times, several experts have predicted that the incidence of elder abuse will escalate (Bonnie & Wallace, 2002; Podnieks & Wilson, 2005). To address this pressing challenge, innovative solutions-across different sectors-need to be developed. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview and results achieved through a partnership between two public-sector organizations and an interfaith coalition to prevent and report elder abuse. Interestingly, in addition to addressing elder abuse, the lives of the participants were enriched as they established new networks and developed greater respect for other faith traditions.