Please tell me about the kinds of elder abuse that a primary care physician might encounter in the outpatient setting?

Please tell me about any patients who, for whatever reason, made you think that they may be at risk for or may be experiencing elder abuse?

What might make you suspicious that a patient of yours was experiencing elder abuse?

What would you do if you become suspicious?

Is there anything else that a primary care physician might consider doing once there is a suspicion of elder abuse?

Under what conditions if any would you report abuse?

Under what circumstances if any would you consider only monitoring?

Why do you think that patients who have been victims of elder abuse might be reluctant to bring this up with their primary care physicians at regularly scheduled visits?

Why do you think doctors may not address the topic of elder .abuse, even if suspected during regularly scheduled visits?

How do you feel about the law that requires physicians to report suspected elder abuse?

What do you think could be done in your practice to help improve the effectiveness of physician efforts to address elder abuse?

What changes can be made to the clinic setting or environment that will help improve the effectiveness of physician efforts to address elder abuse?

Is there anything else that we haven’t talked about that you would like to say about improving physician effectiveness in addressing elder abuse?