Advocating for
Older Adults
Protect older citizens in Wisconsin from abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Wisconsin's Elder Justice Coalition collaborates with leading state agencies, statewide organizations and non-governmental agencies to bridge gaps in coordination of needed services, to raise public awareness and to advocate for elder justice in Wisconsin.
What is Elder Abuse?
According to the World Health Organization, elder abuse is “a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person.” Elder abuse can be verbal, physical, emotional, sexual or financial. It can also be intentional or unintentional neglect. Unfortunately, elder abuse is a growing problem in Wisconsin.
Report elder abuse. Please don't wait to act.
Protect yourself or someone you love from any form of elder abuse.
Our Mission
The coalition has four primary objectives:
- Support statewide elder justice initiatives through the Wisconsin Elder Justice Coalition resulting in greater coordinated abuse prevention and victim support of older adults.
- Support existing County and Regional Financial Abuse Specialist Teams (FASTs), the Statewide FAST, and County and Regional Elder Death Review Teams (EDRTs) through technical support and continue to recruit, develop, and support additional teams throughout Wisconsin.
- Develop, promote, and support education on elder justice issues to key groups as determined by the coalition throughout Wisconsin.
- Collaborate with key partners to provide elder justice education to state and local government leaders.
Connect with Support
Safeguarding older adults begins with knowledge and access to vital resources.
Use the following downloads and links to engage with elder justice education.
Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Toolkits
A multidisciplinary Team (MDT) is a diverse group of professionals who work collaboratively toward patient-centered goals. With their specialized knowledge, team members can address complex and multidimensional issues. Team members, the community, and the older adult all benefit from this approach to problem-solving.
Financial Abuse Specialist Team Toolkit and Resources
This Toolkit is intended for the development, evolution, and sustainability of Financial Abuse Specialist Teams (FASTs) in Wisconsin. It offers resources and tools to support existing and new FASTs in reviewing cases and supporting clients of financial exploitation and abuse of older adults.
Select the button below to access information on Wisconsin FASTs and to download the Wisconsin FAST Toolkit and its resources.
Elder Death Review Team
Toolkit and Resources
This toolkit supports the creation, growth, and long-term success of Elder Death Review Teams (EDRTs) across Wisconsin. It provides guidance, resources, and practical tools to help both new and existing teams work together to review the lives and circumstances of older adults who have died. The goal is to better understand contributing risk factors, vulnerabilities, and system interactions before, during, and after a fatal incident.
Wisconsin Elder Justice Resources
Free Educational Trainings
Help us protect older adults by engaging in our free education on important topics.
Healthcare Screening Tool Resources
The resources include a list of seven evidence-based screening tools for elder abuse, designed for use in the healthcare setting, along with digital copies of the tools. Some tools are comprehensive, while others are focused on specific populations or types of abuse. Screening for elder abuse should include a combination of screening tool utilization, comprehensive clinical assessment, and clinical judgment.
Start with 'A Screening Tool List'. It provides a list of screening tools, including the type, description, and link for each. The zip file contains a fillable digital format for each tool.
Download Healthcare Screening Tool Resources (zip)
Report Elder Abuse WI Resources
For help and information on Elder Abuse in Wisconsin, please visit the resources available from the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
General Elder Justice Resources
Scam SINGO
Scam SINGO is a tool to train community members on common finance scams. This fun game of bingo played with songs will increase dialog and understanding by using songs of the golden oldies to teach scam recognition. Included are the SINGO/bingo cards, a facilitator packet and a marketing flyer.
Compressed files will download as a zipped folder. Unzip the folder to extract the files inside. Both Windows and Mac OSX can unzip files without additional software. After the folder is unzipped, save the files on your computer for easy personalization.
Need Guidance
If you need guidance, please contact Debra Leis, Program Specialist, Elder Justice Coalition, at elderjustice@uwgb.edu and (920) 465-2469.