Support Groups for Older People Who Have Been Abused Violence and Abuse Series Thisnewseriesformsasetofaccessiblebooksforpractitioners,managersandpolicymakers workinginsocialandhealthcare,probationandcriminology.Eachbookdrawsonakeypiece ofresearchorcurrentpracticerelatingtoviolenceandabusetogivepracticalguidanceonnew waysofworkingwithbothvictimsandperpetratorstobringaboutpositivechange. alsointheseries MaleVictimsofElderAbuse TheirExperiencesandNeeds JackiPritchard ISBN1853029998 of relatedinterest TrainingManualforWorkingwithOlderPeople inResidentialandDayCare JackiPritchard ISBN1843101238 ElderAbuseWork BestPracticeinBritainandCanada EditedbyJackiPritchard ISBN1853027049 GoodPracticewithVulnerableAdults EditedbyJackiPritchard ISBN1853029823 GoodPracticeinSocialWork9 TheEssentialGroupworker TeachingandLearningCreativeGroupwork MarkDoelandCatherineSawdon ISBN1853028231 GroupworkinSocialCare PlanningandSettingUpGroups JuliePhillips ISBN1853028290 TheCareHomesLegalHandbook JeremyCooper ISBN1843100649 CounsellingAdultSurvivorsofChildSexualAbuse ChristianeSanderson ISBN1853021385 Support Groups for Older People Who Have Been Abused Beyond Existing Jacki Pritchard Jessica Kingsley Publishers London and New York Allrightsreserved. Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedinanymaterialform (includingphotocopyingorstoringitinanymediumbyelectronicmeansandwhether ornottransientlyorincidentallytosomeotheruseofthispublication)withoutthe writtenpermissionofthecopyrightownerexceptinaccordancewiththeprovisionsof theCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988orunderthetermsofalicenceissuedby theCopyrightLicensingAgencyLtd,90TottenhamCourtRoad,London,England W1P9HE. Applicationsforthecopyrightowner’swrittenpermissiontoreproduceany partofthispublicationshouldbeaddressedtothepublisher. Warning:Thedoingofanunauthorisedactinrelationtoacopyrightworkmayresult inbothacivilclaimfordamagesandcriminalprosecution. TherightofJackiPritchardtobeidentifiedasauthorofthisworkhasbeenassertedby herinaccordancewiththeCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988. 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