As vibrant spaces of connection and meaning-making, senior centers may function as a consistent form of social connection and community for older adults living in their communities. Seventy-five percent of older adults who attend their local centers do so on average 1-3 times per week (Pardasani & Berkman, 2021). This allows center staff and others to become familiar with the older adult and notice changes in behaviors or appearances more readily than less frequented services. This positions senior centers as a vanguard for potentially identifying older adults experiencing or at risk of experiencing elder maltreatment (EM).
Understanding the risk factors, signs and symptoms of, and appropriate responses to EM is critical in maintaining the health of older adults and communities. Despite several studies focused on identifying and responding to EM in clinical settings, little is known about the impact that home and community-based services (HCBS), like senior centers, could have on identifying and responding to EM. Filling this gap in understanding is increasingly important as more older adults age in place and remain in their communities.
What do we currently know about Senior Centers?
Over 11,000 senior centers exist across the country – all unique with varying services provided such as nutrition, exercise, and counseling programs as well as different levels of staffing, community members served, and funding (National Council on Aging, n.d.). Established in New York City in the 1940s, the number of senior centers grew rapidly in the following years thanks to funding from the Older Americans Act (OAA) (Kadowaki & Mahmood, 2018). In 2020, roughly 6,000 senior centers received OAA funding (Administration for Community Living, 2022). Older adults who regularly attend senior centers benefit from increased socialization, better health, and increased lifespan (Xie et al., 2026). Overall, senior centers are important community hubs of services, connection, and belonging.
Learning more about Senior Centers and Elder Maltreatment & Self-Neglect
To illuminate the role of senior centers in EM identification, response, and prevention, the authors created and disseminated a survey to senior centers across the country as part of a project with the National Collaboratory to Address Elder Mistreatment Mentorship Program. The survey gathers information on senior centers:
- Staff and participant training on EM and Elder Self-Neglect (ESN)
- How often the center encounters these issues in the community
- The center’s policies, protocols, and responses
- Resources the center has (or needs) to address these issues
- Perspectives on senior centers’ role in prevention and intervention
Preliminary results from 138 surveys completed by senior center administrators find that:
- Only half of senior centers require training in EM
- In the past year, 65% of senior centers have been concerned about a senior center community member experiencing EM and 82% have been concerned about a member experiencing ESN
- 35% have no policies or guidelines for identifying and responding to suspected EM
- 50% have no policies or guidelines for identifying and responding to suspected ESN
- 92% indicated the more training would be beneficial for supporting senior centers in responding to EM and ESN
- Nearly 90% affirmed that addressing EM and ESN in older adults fits in the scope of their mission
The ongoing work of this project is to help identify real-world challenges and promising practices that can improve elder justice locally and nationally. Findings will inform tools, training, and policies that support senior centers to better identify, prevent, and respond to EM and ESN. This work is critical, as one respondent suggests:
Senior Centers are essential in supporting elder justice. They are places where seniors feel safe and comfortable to come to. Seniors may be more likely to open up to senior center staff as they have most likely built rapport with them.
This work is being completed as part of the National Collaboratory to Address Elder Mistreatment Mentorship Program.
