Support Groups for Older People Who Have Been Abused: Beyond Existing

224 Pages·2003·0.91 MB·English

by  Jacki Pritchard

Support Groups for Older People
Who Have Been Abused
Violence and Abuse Series
Thisnewseriesformsasetofaccessiblebooksforpractitioners,managersandpolicymakers
workinginsocialandhealthcare,probationandcriminology.Eachbookdrawsonakeypiece
ofresearchorcurrentpracticerelatingtoviolenceandabusetogivepracticalguidanceonnew
waysofworkingwithbothvictimsandperpetratorstobringaboutpositivechange.
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Support Groups for Older
People Who Have
Been Abused
Beyond Existing
Jacki Pritchard
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
London and New York
Allrightsreserved. Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedinanymaterialform
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inbothacivilclaimfordamagesandcriminalprosecution.
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FirstpublishedintheUnitedKingdomin2003
byJessicaKingsleyPublishersLtd
116PentonvilleRoad
LondonN19JB,England
and
29West35thStreet,10thfl.
NewYork,NY10001-2299
www.jkp.com
Copyright©2003JackiPritchard
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationData
Pritchard,Jacki.
Supportgroupsforolderpeoplewhohavebeenabused:BeyondExisting/JackiPritchard.
p.cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN1-84310-102-5(pbk.:alk.Paper)
1.Aged--Abuseof--Prevention.2.Socialworkwiththeaged.3.Abusedaged.4.Social
workwiththeaged--GreatBritain.5.BeyondExisting(Project)I.Title.
HV6626.3.P762003
362.6--dc21
2002038914
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData
ACIPcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
ISBN1843101025
PrintedandBoundinGreatBritainby
AthenaeumPress,Gateshead,TyneandWear
Contents
Dedication 6
Acknowledgements 7
Terminology used in the book 8
1. The Project: Beyond Existing 9
2. Setting Up the Groups 26
3. Vignettes of Members 51
4. Running the Groups 1: Practical Matters 71
5. Running the Groups 2: The Sessions 85
6. Themes and Stories 1: The Abuse 107
7. Themes and Stories 2: The Healing 124
8. Vera’s Poems 143
9. Problems and Lessons Learnt 153
10. Evaluation 175
11. Conclusion 192
Appendix 1: Poster for Victims 204
Appendix 2: Poster for Professionals,
Workers and Others 205
Appendix 3: Leaflets for Victims 206
Appendix 4: Leaflet for Professionals,
Workers and Others 210
References 212
Subject Index 214
Author Index 222
This book is dedicated to the members of
Beyond Existing, without whom
the book could not have been written.
Acknowledgements
Itisofparamountimportancetoprotectthevictimswhoparticipatedin
thisproject.Itwasamajorobjectivewhilsttheprojectwasrunning,but
alsowhenwritingupthefindings.Thevictimsagreedthatinformation
could be written up in this book with the proviso their anonymity
would be respected. I want to thank them for being involved and for
their openness and honesty, from which I have learnt so much and I
hopewillbeofvaluetoothers.
Because of the need to maintain anonymity, I cannot name the
people and local organisations who supported Beyond Existing, but
theyknowwhotheyareandIwishtoexpressmygratitudetothem.
Beyond Existing could not have survived without the support of
ChurchtownSocialServicesDepartment;inparticularthemanagersof
theQuarryandCalderCentres.SpecialthanksareduetoRachel,my
co-leader,whohasbeentherethroughoutthegoodandbadtimesand
whohasmademelaughwhenIneededto!
InthebookIexplainaboutthedifficultyof securingfundingfor
the project, so I am indebted to the following organisations who did
supportusfinancially:
(cid:1) TheJosephRowntreeFoundation
(cid:1) ChurchtownCoalfieldPartnershipCommunityChestFund
(cid:1) ChurchtownHealthActionZone
(cid:1) TheEsméeFairbairnFoundation
(cid:1) TheNationwideFoundation
Finally,Ineedtosayanotherbig‘thank-you’toEricSainsbury,whowas
involved in the original research project; he has supported me again
throughout this project and commented on the various drafts of this
book.
Note
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has supported this project as part of its
programmeofresearchandinnovativedevelopmentprojects,whichithopeswillbe
ofvaluetopolicymakersandpractitioners.Thefactspresentedandviewsexpressed
in this book are, however, those of the author and not necessarily those of the
Foundation.
7
Terminology used in the book
Abuse
This includes physical, sexual, psychological, financial,
neglect, discriminatory.
Adult abuse
Any form of abuse which has happened when a person has
been an adult, i.e. over 18 years of age.
Centres
Establishments which have residential and day care facilities.
Domestic violence
Physical, emotional, sexual violence experienced by either a
woman or a man.
Elder abuse
Anyformofabusewhichhashappenedtoapersonovertheage
of 65 years.
Groups
SetupbyBeyondExistingbetweenJune2000andJune2002
and shall be referred to as Quarry, Calder and Morrison.
Leader
Person who works with members and facilitates the sessions.
Member
Victim who attended one of the groups.
Session
Group meeting.
Victim
Someone who has experienced abuse, whether it be physical,
sexual, emotional, financial, neglect, discriminatory.
8